Scottie Scheffler Wins Sixth PGA Tour Event of the Season Amidst Turbulence at Travelers Championship
Scottie Scheffler triumphed at the Travelers Championship on Sunday, overcoming a climate protest on the 18th green and a clutch birdie by Tom Kim to secure his sixth win of the season.
As Scheffler and Kim prepared for the final hole of regulation at TPC River Highlands, five protesters disrupted play by setting off smoke grenades and spreading powdered substances on the green. The incident caused a brief delay while officials cleaned the area.
“When something like that happens, you don’t really know what’s happening, so it can kind of rattle you a little bit,” Scheffler said. “That can be a stressful situation, and you would hate for the tournament to end on something weird happening because of a situation like that.”
Scheffler's approach shot landed on the fringe, and he two-putted for par. Kim then made a critical birdie putt to force a playoff. On the first playoff hole, Scheffler’s approach shot landed 11 feet from the hole, while Kim’s shot found a bunker. Kim couldn't convert his long par putt, giving Scheffler an easy two-putt for the win.
Scheffler’s final round score of 5-under 65 brought his total to 22-under 258. Kim matched him with a 66. Tom Hoge and Sungjae Im tied for third at 20 under, with Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Justin Thomas, and Akshay Bhatia tied for fifth at 18 under.
Scheffler's win, his sixth of the year, ties him with Tiger Woods, who also won six events in a single season in 2009. It was Scheffler's fourth victory in the tour's $20 million, limited-field signature events, earning him a $3.6 million payday.
“It has been a great season,” Scheffler said. “I’ve been fortunate to come away with some wins, and it has been a lot of fun. Tom played his heart out today.”
Kim, who shares a birthday and friendship with Scheffler, reflected on the close competition. “As much as I love him, I would have loved to take that away from him,” Kim said. “But I’m happy for him, and after I tapped out, he said some really nice words and it meant a lot to me.”
The final round was marked by intense competition, with as many as a dozen golfers vying for the lead at various points. Tee times were pushed up due to weather-related delays on Friday and Saturday, leading to a dramatic finish.
Cameron Young, who shot a remarkable 59 on Saturday, had a strong start but faltered on the back nine, tying for ninth place at 17 under with Shane Lowry, Brian Harman, and Wyndham Clark. Austria's Sepp Straka posted the day's best score with a 61, finishing tied for 23rd at 12 under.
Despite the disruptions, Scheffler's resilience and skill shone through, securing yet another victory in what has been a remarkable season.