Scottie Scheffler tees off on Thursday at Aronimink to defend his title. The World No. 1 makes his seventh appearance at the event this week. So far, he has played some good golf but has lacked one crucial thing — wins.
Scheffler has finished second in three straight events — the Masters, the RBC Heritage and the Cadillac Championship. Pointing that out, his wife Meredith said, “You’re like the first guy in PGA TOUR history to have three solo runner-ups in a row.”
Well, the stat did not sit right with Scheffler. “Yeah, it’s probably because the guy that was playing that good figured out a way to win one of those,” he said.
Scheffler still has not fully accepted coming so close without winning. The memories remain fresh.
At the Masters, Scheffler finished one stroke behind defending champion Rory McIlroy. The following week, he lost to Matt Fitzpatrick in a playoff at the RBC Heritage. Only at the Cadillac Championship was there a sizeable gap, as Cameron Young finished six strokes ahead of him.
“A little bit of it is bittersweet. Finishing second in a golf tournament is not bad, but I mean, especially in the way I did it in a couple of them,” Scheffler said.
Scottie Scheffler is Just 1 Win Away from A Career Grand Slam
GettyScottie Scheffler looks on during a practice round before the PGA Championship.
Scheffler is just one trophy away from completing the career Grand Slam. Based on his impeccable form last year, many predicted he would achieve the feat in the same year as McIlroy. However, the U.S. Open stopped him in his tracks. He finished at 4-over par, five strokes behind champion J.J. Spaun. This year, he will aim to change that.
“Finishing second hurts, but I think when you reflect and you’re looking at things to work on, there’s a lot less to clean up when you’re finishing second than there is when you’re finishing 30th,” Scheffler said.
Rory McIlroy Skipped Scottie Scheffler’s PGA Champions Dinner
Speaking of McIlroy, the 37-year-old chose to skip the Champions Dinner hosted by Scheffler. He is dealing with a painful blister on his right pinky toe, an issue that first emerged during the Truist Championship week on Friday.
After the final round on Sunday, McIlroy downplayed the problem, saying it was not severe enough to affect his performance. Despite a visible limp, he assured reporters the injury was manageable.
On Tuesday, however, the six-time major winner had to cut short his nine-hole practice session at Aronimink because of the same blister.
Though concerning, the issue is not expected to affect McIlroy’s participation in the 108th PGA Championship. The blister had formed underneath the toenail, making it difficult to treat immediately. McIlroy has since removed the pinky toenail entirely and plans to use bandages to protect the area. He will also wear slightly larger shoes to reduce friction against both the shoe and his fourth toe.
“I love competition. I don’t like losing. But at the end of the day, I think the preparation, getting ready to come out here and play, is something that I really enjoy,” Scheffler said when asked about his rivalry with McIlroy.
“I’m not thinking about something that somebody else is really good at. I’m focused on what I’m doing and how I can get better at that.”
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