Travelers Championship Update
CROMWELL, Conn. — On Sunday, Scottie Scheffler showed a rare burst of emotion, pumping his fist after sinking an 8-foot par putt on the 18th hole. This was key for him to qualify for the rescheduled playoff against Viktor Hovland, happening on Monday due to a rain delay in the final round of the Travelers Championship.
A storm prompted officials to pause play for about 90 minutes at TPC River Highlands, leading to a decision that there wasn’t enough daylight left to start the playoffs on Sunday.
The playoffs are set to kick off at 9 a.m. on Monday, marking the first extra day on the PGA Tour since last year’s The Players Championship.
“It’s definitely more enjoyable when you’re in a winning position,” Scheffler mentioned. “But I’m happy to still be in the mix. I’ll just take it one day at a time, and we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”
As the final round wound down, both Scheffler and Hovland had chances for birdies. Scheffler had a long 30-foot attempt that rolled 8 feet past the hole; Hovland, on the other hand, narrowly missed a 25-foot putt, ultimately finishing with a score of 69. Scheffler completed a solid finish with a third big par putt, scoring 68 and matching Hovland at 21-under 259 overall.
This placed him just one stroke ahead of Collin Morikawa, who had earlier shared the lead after an impressive 61. Yet, somehow that lead never felt entirely safe.
Hovland started the final round with a one-stroke advantage over Scheffler. However, during the 14th hole, heavy rain and lightning interrupted play, leaving Hovland two shots behind as they resumed. Despite the challenge, Hovland managed to sink a 15-foot birdie putt later on, narrowing the gap, while Scheffler had to make a crucial 6-foot par putt to maintain his lead.
On the tricky par-4 15th, Scheffler’s approach shot from the rough went towards the back pin but rolled down the slope. He chipped onto the green and managed to sink yet another important par putt, keeping the pressure on Hovland, who was on a roll with three straight birdies.
They kept pace with each other in the tension-filled final holes. Scheffler missed an important 10-foot birdie chance at 17, with the putt circling the edge of the cup, but then recovered with a solid shot on the 18th, placing it just inside 30 feet from the rough.
PGA Tour officials ultimately deemed that there wasn’t enough light to continue, deciding not to play another hole before the conclusion of the 18th.
Both players approached the round quite differently: Scheffler finished with one bogey and three birdies, while Hovland had just two pars throughout a stretch of 10 holes in the middle of his round.
Initially, Hovland found himself falling behind by two strokes but limited the damage, only allowing a two-stroke swing on the seventh. Scheffler’s key swing came at the start of the back nine, but Hovland fought back with three consecutive birdies, boosted by improved course conditions after the rain.
Reflecting on the rain delay, Hovland shared, “I hit a mix of good and bad shots, but couldn’t find my rhythm. That break really helped me reset when I returned, and it made a noticeable difference.”
Morikawa finished strong on the 18th hole, pulling off a 10-foot birdie from the wet sand of a bunker for his ninth birdie of the day, finishing at 20-under 260. Morikawa, who had started the first day trailing by nine strokes, had to wait around three hours, partly due to the delays, before taking his final shot.
“Honestly, waiting didn’t really cross my mind when I had the chance. But, you know, I told my wife this morning, ‘Let’s aim for a 61 and wrap up the three-week stretch on a high note.’ I think that kind of mindset sometimes works out in unexpected ways,” he remarked.
Matt Fitzpatrick shot a 64, securing fourth place by himself, followed closely by U.S. Open champion Windham Clark. Clark delivered a commendable performance after a tough week at Shinnecock Hills, although he stumbled on the 17th hole with a shot into the water, finishing with a 65 and trailing by three strokes.
