He had to survive a playoff and a wave of protesters at the 18th green at TPC River Highlands, but Scottie Scheffler put his brutal week at Pinehurst No. 2 behind him in the best way possible.
Scheffler beat Tom Kim in a one-hole playoff on Sunday afternoon to win the Travelers Championship in Connecticut. He posted a final-round 66, which dropped him to 22-under on the week, and then he quickly closed out Kim in the playoff to officially grab the win.
The win is just the latest in what’s been a truly dominant season for the top-ranked golfer in the world. He’s now won 12 times in his career on the PGA Tour, half of which have come in 2024. He hasn’t missed the cut anywhere since 2022, and he has just two finishes outside of the top-10 in 15 starts this season.
Scheffler is now the first player in PGA Tour history to record six wins in a season before July since Arnold Palmer did so in 1962.
Scheffler’s victory this week came after an uncharacteristic stumble at the U.S. Open last week. Scheffler finished 8-over in North Carolina and T41 at the third major championship of the season in what was his worst finish since October 2022.
Protesters storm 18th green
Scheffler entered Sunday a shot back of Tom Kim, who survived a long rain delay on Saturday and fired a 5-under 65 to take the 54-hole lead. While Scheffler’s final round started off slow with five straight pars, he finally pulled ahead of what was a four-way tie at one point in the final holes. Scheffler carded three straight birdies, just barely left an eagle look at the short par-4 15th, to jump ahead of the pack.
Kim had plenty of looks to match Scheffler at the top in the final three holes, but he stumbled putting multiple times — including at the 16th green when he left a great birdie putt short and bent over immediately out of frustration. Kim sent his birdie putt at the 17th flying past the hole, too, which allowed Scheffler to head to the final hole with his one-shot lead after a textbook par of his own.
Finally, though, Kim had his moment. Kim, after Scheffler’s approach at the 18th landed in the fringe off the green, nearly dunked his shot from the middle of the fairway. That set up a final birdie, which eventually forced the playoff.
But before he could putt, protesters stormed the green.
At least five people ran out around and onto the 18th green as the final group was walking up in a form of protest. The group, which appeared to be climate change activists, started spraying smoke and powder everywhere.
No damage was actually done to the course, and security arrested and removed the group quickly. Red and white powder, however, remained on the putting surface as Scheffler and Kim finished the hole.
Kim and Scheffler played the 18th hole again as scheduled for the playoff, though tournament officials moved the cup to a new spot on the green as a result of the protest.
Even though Kim made it interesting, Scheffler made quick work of the playoff. He stuck his approach with in a few feet of the cup while Kim, who hit a great drive, landed his second shot in the greenside bunker. That sealed the deal for Scheffler, who easily walked away with his par for the win.
Tom Hoge, who fired a career-low 62 on Sunday, finished in third with Sungjae Im at 20-under for the week. Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Justin Thomas and Akshay Bhatia tied for fifth at 18-under.
Cam Young goes low again after historic 59
Though his Saturday outing was incredible, Cam Young couldn’t turn a third-round 59 into a win on Sunday.
Young posted what was just the 13th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history on Saturday at TPC River Highlands. It marked the first 59 since Scheffler pulled that feat off in 2020. That brought Young, who started Saturday 11 shots back of the leaders, right into contention.
He came out of the gates hot on Sunday too. Young opened the day with four straight birdies, including a huge chip-in save at the third, but he stumbled a bit after making the turn. Young carded two bogeys and a double early on his back nine before he closed with back-to-back birdies, which gave him a 4-under 66 on the day and dropped him to 17-under on the week.
Young finished T9 on the week, still five shots back of Scheffler and Kim, in what was his best finish on Tour since his T9 finish at the Masters in April.
This post will be updated with more information shortly.