LA QUINTA, Calif. — It’s a new year, but Scottie Scheffler remains at the top of his game.
The world’s No. 1 golfer enjoys visiting the California desert at the season’s start to assess his skills and gear up for competition. On Sunday, during The American Express, he exhibited minimal flaws in his play.
Scheffler carded birdies on half his holes, overcoming an early two-shot deficit to establish a commanding six-shot lead before finishing with a 6-under 66, securing a four-shot win.
“There’s always a bit of rust when it comes to competitive golf,” Scheffler remarked. “You can practice as much as you want at home, but nothing compares to the pressure of posting a score and contending during a tournament. It’s rewarding to see that my practice efforts are paying off.”
He racked up four birdies over a six-hole stretch on the front nine, propelling him past 18-year-old Blades Brown and the rest of the competitors.
Scheffler notched his 20th PGA Tour victory — all within the last four years — securing a lifetime membership. Even more impressive is that nine of those wins have come by margins of four shots or more.
He also joins legends Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players with 20 PGA Tour titles and four majors before turning 30.
“Pretty wild,” Scheffler said. “It’s been a remarkable beginning to my career. I try not to dwell on such statistics. My focus is on being prepared.”
The world’s No. 1 player briefly shared the spotlight with Brown, who just graduated high school two weeks ago and tied for 17th at a Korn Ferry Tour event in the Bahamas that concluded Wednesday. He is the first golfer to participate in eight straight days of PGA Tour-sanctioned events.
Whether fatigue caught up to him or the weight of the moment affected his performance — he was aiming to become the youngest PGA Tour winner in 95 years — things unraveled quickly.
Brown began the day one shot behind 54-hole leader Si Woo Kim and one ahead of Scheffler, but the dynamics shifted drastically. At the tee of the par-3 fourth on the Stadium Course at PGA West, Brown and Kim found themselves five shots back just five holes later as Scheffler accelerated his play.
“Eight rounds may sound overwhelming, but I was genuinely enjoying myself,” Brown said. “It’s incredible to play in a PGA Tour event, to share the course with Scottie Scheffler and witness his victory.”
“I have areas to improve, and I hope to achieve what Scottie’s accomplished.”
By the end, everything appeared seamless. Scheffler sunk a par putt to finish at 27-under 261, pocketed the ball, and smiled—a routine performance indeed.
He has triumphed in four of his last six PGA Tour outings and seven of the past 13, maintaining a remarkable 16 consecutive top-10 finishes, the longest streak since 1970.
“It seems like he never takes a break,” remarked Jason Day, one of four players who claimed the B flight by finishing second. “He’s always prepared, consistently close to the lead. That’s immensely challenging, especially at No. 1 with all the distractions.”
Scheffler quickly took control after a birdie-bogey start. He struck an 8-iron to just 2 feet on the par-3 fourth hole and played the par-5 fifth wisely, avoiding water and nearly sinking a pitch-and-run for birdie. Two additional birdies on the front nine were followed by more on the back, putting him four shots ahead.
Brown’s opportunity dwindled on a single hole. He opted for an aggressive strategy on the par-5 fifth but missed, hitting his tee shot into the water. After dropping in front of the tee boxes — in dormant Bermuda rough instead of the tee area — his poor wedge shot led to a double bogey.
Brown went eleven holes without a birdie and suffered two bogeys late, finishing with a 74. He slipped from a tie for second to a tie for 18th place, which cost him a slot at Torrey Pines next week.
yet, it was a valuable learning experience with an exceptional mentor.
“One of the coolest things I learned today was how underrated Scottie Scheffler’s short game is,” Brown reflected. “Witnessing his trajectory, spin, and control with wedges and around the greens was impressive. His putting is incredible as well. It was enlightening to observe; I’ll certainly focus on improving that aspect.”
Day capped off his performance with a 64, moving him up 18 spots to a runner-up finish, alongside Ryan Gerard (65), Matt McCarty (68), and Andrew Putnam (68).
Kim, who often practices with Scheffler at Royal Oaks in Dallas, faced challenges as well. On the par-5 eighth, he struggled to escape a greenside bunker, resulting in a double bogey, and then missed a 3-foot par attempt on the subsequent hole. He rebounded with three birdies on the back nine, salvaging a 72 and tying for sixth place.
Scheffler’s only significant error came when it was inconsequential; he hit a tee shot into the water on the par-3 17th, also known as “Alcatraz.” By that point, he had enough margin to withstand the double bogey, ensuring his victory against the strongest field The American Express has seen in decades.
Scheffler will take the next week off before concluding the West Coast swing with three consecutive tournaments, starting with the Phoenix Open, where his remarkable journey began four years ago with his first PGA Tour title in a playoff. Recently, victories have come much more comfortably.
Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
