Scottie Scheffler wasn't at his best in the final round of the Memorial Tournament, but it says everything about the world No.1's dominance that he still claimed victory in Ohio.
Scheffler laboured to a two-over-par final round as Jack Nicklaus' course played firm and tough, but his total of an eight-under score was enough to beat Collin Morikawa by one shot at the last after the two went head-to-head on Sunday.
It is Scheffler's fifth win in his last eight starts and his latest title adds to his wins at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Players Championship, the Masters and RBC Heritage.
The 27-year-old, who won in front of his new baby boy, reflected: "It is pretty amazing and fun. I have had some close calls in this tournament. It is a tough place to close it out. It was playing so tough today, it was so firm and fast.
"But I like it when it gets this hard. It was good to battle it out. I didn't really do a whole lot great today but I did enough to get the job done. It was a surreal moment to shake Mr Nicklaus' hand as a winner here and I am honoured."
The Memorial Tournament Leaderboard
- -8 SCHEFFLER
- -7 MORIKAWA
- -4 HADWIN
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-3 BEZEZUIDENHOUT
Updates from...
McILROY FINDS WATER AT THE FIFTH
Rory McIlroy started the day eight shots back on -2 and will have wanted a fast start to climb the leaderboard but he is level par for four holes and is now in danger of going backwards after putting his second to the fifth into the drink as his club also went flying.
HADWIN OPENS WITH A CHIP-IN THREE AS SCHEFFLER FINDS FAIRWAY
Adam Hadwin has made an early move on the first hole with a birdie three to trim Scottie Scheffler's lead to three shots after chipping in from 97 feet. Scheffler himself is now underway and is on the first fairway.
A chip-in birdie to get started for @AHadwinGolf 👏He's three back @MemorialGolf. pic.twitter.com/RLal0XlrIAJune 9, 2024
SECOND SHOT AT THE FIRST CAUSING A LOT OF PROBLEMS
Scheffler is one of several pros who have come up short and left into the first hole to leave a tricky chip. Playing partner Collin Morikawa has fired in a wedge close and the lead could be cut further here but the event Morikawa misses his putt and Scheffler gets up and down.
SCHEFFLER AND MORIKAWA BOTH PUT TEE SHOTS ON SECOND DOWN LEFT
Scheffler is in the left hand rough at the second while Morikawa's tee shot hit the trees and bounced back on to the left side of the fairway. But both players found the green with their approaches with Morikawa giving himself a decent look at birdie from 146 yards.
ABERG AND STRAKA GOING BACKWARDS
Ludvig Aberg and Sepp Straka have both dropped early shots to slip backwards with Aberg opening with successive birdies and Straka +1 for two holes.
COULD MORIKAWA PUSH SCHEFFLER ALL THE WAY TODAY?
Morikawa's return to form has pitted him against Scheffler on multiple times this season. He has come out worse so far but an early birdie on the second has clawed a shot back on the leader to trail by just three. Morikawa needs his putter to deliver today because his fine iron play does give him chances.
SCHEFFLER AND MORIKAWA BOTH FIND FAIRWAY AT THIRD
The final pairing have both hit the ball around 250 yards into the fairway at the third to set up short approaches from around 125 yards from where Morikawa hit his to 31 feet and Scheffler 37 feet. The pin, just over water, wasn't one to attack as both men settle for par.
HADWIN BIRDIES THE FOURTH TO CUT GAP TO TWO
A fine birdie two at the 220-yard fourth by Hadwin has trimmed Scheffler's lead by another shot to two.
TROUBLE AT THE FOURTH FOR SCHEFFLER
Scheffler faces a battle to save par on the fourth after finding the left hand trap before splashing out to 21-feet where he makes a bogey and so does Morikawa from a similar position in the sand.
PLAYERS WEARING YELLOW RIBBONS
In 2019, Jack Nicklaus and his wife, Barbara, helped launch the “Play Yellow” campaign in conjunction with the PGA Tour and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to raise funds pediatric care that insurance programs don’t cover. Their initial goal was to bring in $100 million over five years. During the 2020 Memorial, Jack and Barbara asked players to sport the ribbons and wear yellow to support the cause.
SCHEFFLER YET TO GET MOTORING IN TIGHT CONTEST
Scheffler's failure to birdie the par five fifth means he remains +1 for the final round with a lead of just one shot despite having a four shot lead overnight.
SCHEFFLER AND MORIKAWA BOTH FIND FAIRWAY AT SIXTH
The final pairing have both found the middle of the fairway at the par four sixth where Hadwin up ahead has made par. Scheffler puts his approach from 167 yards to nine feet while Morikawa has a lengthy par putt after going over the back as Morikawa makes four and the world No.1 makes birdie.
Leader by 2️⃣! Scottie Scheffler cards his first birdie of the day @MemorialGolf. pic.twitter.com/gtC0Gdw1G8June 9, 2024
NIGHTMARE FOR LOWRY
Shane Lowry ended his winless run recently at the Zurich with pal and team-mate Rory McIlroy but the pair aren't having much to sing about today. Lowry is +8 and McIlroy is +3 for the day after 11 holes
SCHEFFLER WITH A LOOK AT A BIRDIE FOUR ON THE SEVENTH
Scheffler couldn't reach the par 5 seventh in two as he came up short at the 582 yard hole. But he has chipped up to 11 feet to have a look at birdie. Morikawa does have a lengthy putt for eagle after dropping a shot previously but comes up short and wide. Morikawa makes his birdie though and Scheffler has to settle for 5.
SCHEFFLER'S LEAD BACK TO TWO
Adam Hadwin has dropped his first shot of the round on the par 3 eighth after finding the sand on the right off the tee before missing an 11-foot putt for par. He is now -8, two shots behind Scheffler.
SCHEFFLER DROPS ANOTHER SHOT AT THE PAR 3 EIGHTH
Scheffler is back to -9 and +1 for the day as he can't get away from the pack after missing the par three eighth on the left side before failing to get up and down.
SCHEFFLER AND MORIKAWA BOTH HAVE BIRDIE LOOKS ON NINTH
The final pairing both found the fairway on the ninth and have wedged on to the green to have birdie putts from 41 and nine feet respectively for Scheffler and Morikawa with the latter making his to move two behind.
FINAL PAIRING BOTH ON THE PAR 4 10TH IN REGULATION
Scheffler drove into the sand on the par four 10th but has found the putting surface with his second to join Morikawa on the green in two as the pair both record par.
SCHEFFLER AND MORIKAWA GO RIGHT OFF 11TH TEE
Scheffler still leads by two despite not playing his best stuff. He has gone right off the tee at the par 5 11th which will hurt any hopes of getting on in two and Morikawa is in a similar spot. They have both then laid up to around 130 yards out. Morikawa has wedged in to 13 feet, while Scheffler's approach has spun back into the fringe at the front from where the duo both make par.
MATT FITZPATRICK STORMS INTO TOP TEN WITH FINAL ROUND 69
Former US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick has carded the day's joint low round with a 69 to storm into the top ten. Emiliano Grillo has also shot a 69 but is +5 in total.
SCHEFFLER FIRES IN SUPERB TEE SHOT ON TOUGH PAR 3 12TH
The par 3 12th is playing very tricky today and is the playing the hardest hole on the course. Morikawa found the green playing first and then Scheffler responded in style to put his to nine feet. That was class. But Morikawa drains his from 32 feet to fist pump before Scheffler's shorter effort slides by. The lead is down to one.
The second birdie of the day on No. 12, the hardest hole on the course today. @Collin_Morikawa embraces the challenge. pic.twitter.com/8m0D8F3VcGJune 9, 2024
CHANCE FOR MORIKAWA TO GAIN REVENGE
Morikawa has lost out to Scheffler quite a bit this season, including at Augusta, but will be looking to get one over his old sparring partner today in the closing stretch. His chances won't have been helped though by an outstanding approach on the 13th by Scheffler to five feet while Morikawa is on the fringe. But in the end both make par to stay +1 and -2 respectively.
MORIKAWA IS BEING AGGRESSIVE CHASING SCHEFFLER
Morikawa has again gone into the fringe past the flag on the 14th as the greens are so hard and fast today. Scheffler, also playing from the fairway, has found the edge of the green. We have a great shoot-out developing here with Morikawa chipping just past the hole as both make four.
POTENTIAL CHANCE FOR MORIKAWA TO MOVE LEVEL ON 15
Scheffler has driven into the sand on the par 5 15th, while Morikawa has split the fairway and will have a chance to get on in two which he takes with a fine 3-wood into the back fringe as Scheffler has to play for position from the sand.
MORIKAWA WITH BIG CHANCE TO MOVE LEVEL WHICH HE BLOWS
Morikawa has been clutch from around the fringe today and needs an up and down for a birdie at the par 5 15th to potentially go level with Scheffler, whose birdie effort lips out. But Morikawa's own effort from seven-foot for the birdie is too weak and curls away from the hole.
About as close as it gets for Scottie Scheffler. He still holds onto a one-shot lead @MemorialGolf with three to play. pic.twitter.com/6wkBuJZvexJune 9, 2024
FINAL PAIRING BOTH COME UP SHORT ON PAR 3 16TH
Morikawa, playing first, has played short and right at the par 3 16th which is playing 203 yards today. Then Scheffler has done likewise as this pair continue to spar with each other in what looks a two-horse race with Adam Hadwin three shots off the lead with two holes left. Both men's approaches come up well short as Morikawa drops a shot but Scheffler makes his par putt from distance for a clenched fist.
MORIKAWA SET TO RUE HIS CHANCES AGAIN!
Morikawa's failure to get up and down from the fringe on both 15 and 16 is going to cost him it appears as Scheffler leads by two with two holes left.
SCHEFFLER AND MORIKAWA BOTH FIND FAIRWAY ON 17TH
Scheffler and Morikawa have both found the short stuff on the penultimate hole which is a 488-yard par 4 but their approaches have both come up short in the rough from where they chip up to leave par putts which Scheffler misses and Morikawa makes.
MORIKAWA FINDS SAND OFF TEE AT THE LAST
Morikawa has hit a 321-yard drive into the sand on the right which eases the pressure on Scheffler who finds the fairway with a 3 wood to leave 179 yards in. Scheffler plays first and finds the rough past the hole as does Morikawa. We now have a chipping contest for the title.
SCHEFFLER LIKELY NEEDS AN UP AND DOWN FOR THE TITLE
Morikawa plays first from the green side rough and has chipped up to three feet. Scheffler now needs to do likewise to preserve his one-shot lead to win.
SCHEFFLER WILL HAVE A THREE-FOOT PUTT FOR THE TITLE
Both players have short par putts of around three-four foot. If Scheffler makes his he will be champion.
What touch from Collin Morikawa on 18! He needs par to put the pressure back on Scottie. pic.twitter.com/cXH75LwZiAJune 9, 2024
SCHEFFLER WINS IT!
Scheffler's clutch up and down at the last has won him the title. What a player this guy is. He has triumphed for the fifth time this year - despite not even playing his best.
Big win. Big fist pump. 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/Q6jydEACllJune 9, 2024
