The American’s win at East Lake Golf Club marks the culmination of a phenomenal 2024 season in which Scheffler claimed seven PGA Tour titles, including an Olympic gold medal, his second Masters, and back-to-back Players Championship victories. This remarkable feat makes Scheffler the first player since Tiger Woods in 2007 to secure seven tournament wins in a single PGA Tour season.

A Commanding Performance at East Lake

Starting the final round with a five-shot advantage over Collin Morikawa, Scheffler maintained his lead with a composed performance, carding a four-under 67 to finish at 30 under par. This stellar round ensured his victory by four strokes over Morikawa, who shot a 66 to finish at 26 under. Sahith Theegala claimed third place at 24 under after an impressive final round of 64.

Scheffler’s triumph at the Tour Championship earned him a whopping $25 million (£19 million) from the $100 million prize pool, securing his first FedEx Cup title and setting a new standard for excellence on the PGA Tour.

Early Challenges and a Strong Finish

For the third consecutive year, Scheffler began the Tour Championship with a head start, entering the week at 10 under par as the leader in the FedEx Cup standings. This format advantage placed him two strokes ahead of Xander Schauffele and six ahead of Morikawa and others. Scheffler maintained his lead through the first three rounds, setting the stage for what seemed to be a straightforward final day.

However, the final round was not without its challenges. Scheffler’s five-shot lead grew to six after Morikawa bogeyed the first hole, but a pair of back-to-back bogeys on the seventh and eighth holes by Scheffler allowed Morikawa, who was gaining momentum with birdies on the fourth, sixth, and eighth holes, to cut the lead to just two strokes.

A poor drive on the seventh forced Scheffler to hack out from beneath a conifer tree, and a misplayed bunker shot on the eighth led to further trouble. Reflecting on the mishap, Scheffler admitted, "I was a bit frustrated because it was quite a basic shot, but I've shanked it from a similar lie before."

Despite these setbacks, Scheffler's caddie, Ted Scott, provided a much-needed pep talk. "Ted did a great job of helping me reset," Scheffler said. "He gave me a nice pep talk there on the back of the eighth green because I looked at him like, 'man, I don't know about this, this isn't looking so hot right now.'"

With renewed focus, Scheffler responded with a birdie on the ninth hole, followed by two more on the 10th and 11th, extending his lead to four strokes. Although Morikawa managed a birdie on the 13th to keep the pressure on, Scheffler's clutch 15-foot eagle putt on the 14th effectively sealed the deal, re-establishing a five-shot lead that he would maintain through to the finish.

An Unshakeable Mental Game

Morikawa, who earned $12.5 million for his runner-up finish, praised Scheffler’s mental toughness, noting, "Nothing fazes him. Whether I was gaining some ground or he was gaining ground, it didn't change how he walked or how he played or how he went through every shot. That's something to learn. His mental game is a lot stronger than a lot of people know."

Record-Breaking Earnings and Personal Milestones

Scheffler's victory at the Tour Championship not only capped a historic season but also set a new PGA Tour record for earnings. With Sunday’s prize money, Scheffler's official earnings for the 2024 season soared to around $54 million, breaking the PGA Tour single-season earnings record for the third consecutive year.

Off the course, 2024 has been a year of significant personal milestones for Scheffler. He became a father for the first time in May, just days before a dramatic incident at the US PGA Championship. Scheffler was arrested on the morning of the second round for an alleged traffic offense, leading to an unexpected trip to the police station. Despite being charged with assaulting a police officer, Scheffler made it back to the course in time to play, and all charges were eventually dropped.

Looking Ahead

Scottie Scheffler’s dominant performance at the Tour Championship and his incredible achievements throughout the 2024 season have firmly established him as a golfing powerhouse. As he looks to the future, Scheffler will undoubtedly be a favorite in every tournament he enters, with fans eagerly awaiting what this remarkable athlete will achieve next.