Travelers Championship Playoff Setup

For many professional golfers, a five-month wait for a win on the PGA Tour isn’t really a big deal. But it’s been long enough for some to start questioning if there’s an issue with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.

At the Travelers Championship, that notion felt a bit off, even as Scheffler had to wait until Monday morning to see if he could end this supposed drought.

Scheffler and Viktor Hovland finished tied at 21 under on Sunday at TPC River Highlands, which led to an unusual Monday playoff due to weather delays that night. The playoffs are set to kick off at 9 a.m. ET on the par-4 18th hole, following a sudden death format—whoever has the lower score on that hole wins. So, Scheffler’s wait for victory isn’t over yet.

For Hovland, who remained neck-and-neck with Scheffler during a tense, rain-impacted final round, this means yet another shot at besting the top golfer globally.

Entering the 2026 season, Scheffler holds just one win at the Travelers, dating back to January. However, “just one win,” is still quite significant.

It’s not like Scheffler has had a poor season; in fact, quite the opposite. He boasts eight top-five finishes in his first 13 starts, including a win at the American Express, along with runner-up spots at the Masters and other major events. He even placed third at the CJ Cup and tied for fourth at the U.S. Open last week.

Now he faces another shot at morphing a close call into hardware. But first, he’ll need to sleep on it.

The final round began with Scheffler one stroke ahead of Hovland, after a rocky initial few days in Connecticut. He opened with a spectacular 64 and almost hit a historic 59 on Friday, settling for a strong 60 but then finishing with a 67 to secure second place, one spot behind Hovland.

It felt like a familiar scenario was unfolding.

The tournament was, of course, seeing the best golfers aiming for those trophies. But, Hovland reminded everyone that the Travelers Championship typically requires at least 72 holes.

In the early going, Scheffler received some assistance from Hovland, who relinquished a two-stroke lead. After making 18 birdies for a 64 on Saturday, the Norwegian bogeyed the first hole on Sunday, putting him on even footing with Scheffler.

As it turned out, Scheffler struggled on the front nine, ending at an even-par 35, while Hovland could only manage a 36. This allowed several other competitors to come back into the fray. Collin Morikawa shot a stunning 61 during the final round, momentarily taking the lead in the clubhouse before the final two finished their rounds.

For a bit, it looked like Scheffler would need to overcome Morikawa.

Hovland then took decisive action. Scheffler birdied the 10th and 13th holes to reach 21 under, just a stroke behind Morikawa’s clubhouse figure. Hovland, alongside U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, was still in close contention when heavy rains prompted further delays.

After the weather break, Hovland flipped the scenario. He made a birdie at the 14th hole, cutting down Scheffler’s lead to just one point, and added another at the 15th to take the lead. Suddenly, Scheffler wasn’t just thinking about his 21st PGA Tour win; he was trying to fend off Hovland’s late surge.

As it happened, Scheffler had a chance to regain control but missed his birdie putt on No. 17, leaving both competitors tied heading into the final hole.

Both players struck solid approach shots on the 18th, yet Scheffler ended up a bit farther from the hole than Hovland. His putt was too fast, rolling over the hole, and setting him up with an 8.5-foot comeback attempt to force a playoff.

Even if Hovland had made a longer birdie putt, he missed, which meant Scheffler had to sink his attempt to advance to the playoff. I think many were on the edge of their seats when he nailed it, raising his fist in celebration, and exchanging friendly words with Hovland, likely nudging, “See you tomorrow.”

Monday’s playoff will mark the first PGA Tour playoff since Rory McIlroy triumphed in a three-hole playoff at the 2025 Players Championship. In this case, it’s much simpler—Scheffler and Hovland will return to the 18th hole, and whoever wins that hole takes the tournament.

This might seem routine for Scheffler, but in some ways it’s not. He previously won the Travelers by defeating his friend Tom Kim in a playoff back in 2024. That time, one hole had been enough.

His history here at TPC River Highlands isn’t bad; after missing out in 2020 and then finishing 47th in 2021, he’s steadily improved, finishing 13th, fourth, first, and sixth in subsequent years. And now here he is, another chance in 2026.

It’s impressive, really.

Yet, that drought still looms, even if it’s not the same for everyone else. His dry stretch would be considered a stellar run for most golfers, consistently near the top and pushing through another impressive event.

But when you set the bar this high, it can feel like it’s just not quite enough.

Scheffler aimed to end the drought talk in Connecticut, but now he finds himself needing to go another round on Monday.

So, it all comes down to one more hole, or maybe a few—will this be the moment the drought is broken, or do we wait yet another week?

Whatever the outcome, one thing seems clear.

Win or lose, Scottie Scheffler appears unfazed.