Scheffler is on top of world after a ‘crazy few months’
Scottie Scheffler is the new world number one, becoming the third quickest player to achieve the feat after a “crazy past few months”.
The 25-year-old jumped to the top of the standings after beating fellow American Kevin Kisner 4&3 in the final of the WGC-DELL Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club in Texas.
It was Scheffler’s third title triumph in his last five starts on the PGA Tour, having made his breakthrough on the circuit in the WM Phoenix Open in the middle of last month then quickly adding the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
New Jersey-born Scheffler has taken just 92 events to rise to number one, with only Tiger Woods, in just 21, and Jordan Spieth, in 77 events, having achieved the feat in quicker time.
“It's been kind of a crazy past few months,” admitted Scheffler, who also joins Woods and Spieth, as well as Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas and Rory Mcilroy, in finding himself on top of the world at the age of 25 or younger.
“I really don’t know how to describe the emotion,” he said.
“Yeah, pretty cool to do that in front of my family. They've supported me so much along the way.
“I don’t feel like number one in the world. I feel like the same guy I was four months ago, and I hope that doesn’t change.”
Scheffler, who starred for the US on his Ryder Cup debut at Whistling Straits last September, went to college in Austin and used to attend the Wgc-match Play event as a fan.
“I probably came two or three times,” he said.
“I remember watching Rory hit balls on the range and I remember hearing the noise that his club head hitting the ball made and being like kind of taken aback, like ‘wow, this was hit really solid’.
“I just remember watching and kind of studying those guys and just seeing what I could learn just because there are so many talented guys out here and there’s so much I can learn from them that any tidbit I could pick up on was going to be beneficial.”
Scheffler is the first player to win three times in a PGA Tour season prior to The
Masters Tournament since Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas in the 2016-17 campaign.
“It's been a long journey to this point,” said golf ’s man of the moment.
“I had some pretty low points in college where I really fought my swing and I fought some injuries.
“I fought a lot of stuff during college.
“To be out here and win this golf tournament in front of the fans down here is really special.”
Is he ready to win a major? “Maybe y'all's expectations of me,” he replied to that. “I don't place too many expectations on myself.
“I just like being out here and competing.
“I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to do that and I look forward to doing it as long as you can.
“I’m just going to keep trying to make those incremental improvements and keep my head down and keep working hard.”