ATLANTA — Words are running out to praise Scottie Scheffler's record-breaking PGA Tour season: He made history at TPC Sawgrass, won at Augusta National and captured gold in Paris, adding victories in four other signature events to his legend and reaffirming his status as the best player in the world.
So on Sunday, as Scheffler cruised to victory at the Tour Championship, Justin Thomas tried to sum up the season.
“I don't even know where to begin,” Thomas said.
“I think how well he plays when he's the guy that loses every week. I don't think people understand how hard it is when you're expected to win, you're the favorite, everything you do on the golf course is being watched, good and bad, and how hard it is to get into your own little zone, your own little world and really quiet the noise.”
Scheffler has been the favorite to win every one of the 19 competitions he has competed in this year. He has been the biggest target every week, but he has never succumbed to the pressure and has lived up to the expectations every time. Many top athletes claim that staying on the top of the mountain is harder than climbing it, and Scheffler has done just that.
He follows his own path and only pays attention to his faith, his family, his close friends and his game. He ignores all the noise, which is a difficult but impressive feat in this day and age.
“That's as important a skill as hitting your driver down the fairway and your iron on the line,” Thomas said of Scheffler.
“He clearly understands that very well.”
Scheffler has been the best player in the world for the past three seasons, but this season has been historic: His victory at the Tour Championship was Scheffler's seventh win of the season, making him the first player to win seven times on Tour since Tiger Woods did it in 2007. While Scheffler still has a long way to go to match Woods's accolades, the comparisons are obvious.
“All Scottie wants is to play his best and win as many tournaments as he can,” Thomas added.
“He's doing a pretty good job of that.”
Earlier this year, critics heavily criticized Scheffler's putting woes, saying his flat-stick issues were holding him back, but he changed putters before the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Scheffler won at Bay Hill and then came storming back to win at TPC Sawgrass on Sunday, winning for the second straight week and then quickly claiming his second green jacket.
Scheffler only had average putting weeks during that stretch, but still won.
This week at the renovated East Lake Golf Club, Scheffler hit his best shots of the season. He ranked fourth in putting strokes gained, which is why he held a big lead all week. He also took just 82 putts on 53 greens, good for the best performance in the field. He took advantage of the opportunities he was given, and Thomas recognized that.
“His putting was really impressive,” Thomas said.
But everything about Scheffler is so impressive. He makes it all look so easy that it leaves us all shaking our heads and saying, “I don't even know where to begin.”
Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation Playing Through. Follow For more golf articles, follow us on Twitter Jack Mirko In the same way.
