Scottie Scheffler proved a real point with his comfortable victory at the PGA Championship this past week, as the world number one secured his third major title.
While Sunday threatened to deliver an exciting finish, Scottie Scheffler was able to get across the line at the PGA Championship without too much fuss. A bogey on the last meant that the 28-year-old won by five in North Carolina.
It was such an impressive performance from Scheffler, who is now halfway to completing the career grand slam. And it would be no surprise to see him move closer to that achievement before the end of the year.
Interestingly, Scheffler would confirm after his final round that he had to change his driver after the USGA found that the longest club in his bag was initially non-conforming.
Dan Rapaport changes his mind about Scottie Scheffler’s comments at the PGA Championship
Of course, the issue was a talking point at Quail Hollow after Rory McIlroy also had to make a switch. McIlroy had a tough week at the PGA Championship. He performed poorly on the course and did not speak to the media once the tournament got going.
Some think the driver situation may have contributed to McIlroy’s decision to snub the media. Meanwhile, Scheffler addressed the situation on Sunday by suggesting that players should be responsible for their own testing in future.
And speaking on Dan on Golf, Dan Rapaport has suggested that he has changed his mind from what he initially thought when Scheffler made those comments.
“There was a lot of talk about the driver. Speaking of the driver, just a total non-issue. That was a fake controversy, that was an internet troll controversy, trying to say he was trying to do something. It happens every single week on tour, they test drivers every week. Scottie Scheffler’s failed, and Scottie Scheffler had to use a back-up, and it wasn’t a controversy, no-one was saying he tried to game the system before. It happens every single week. And there were a lot of guys who were talking about should they test everyone every week? I think maybe,” he said.
“Scottie said something interesting, he said, why don’t you put it on us? Every other rule is for us to self-police. It’s one of the amazing things in our game. I actually think if they said every player must test his driver before and make sure that it’s conforming, I think the guys would do it and I think they would be honest about it, because there’s so many opportunity for guys to cheat out there on their own and they don’t do it, and it’s one of the things that makes our game great. When he first said it, I’m thinking that’s not going to work. And then I thought, you know, it actually might. I think if you said to guys you are responsible for making sure that your clubs are conforming, I think the guys would do it. I think there is still that tacit agreement.”
Rory McIlroy made a big mistake at the PGA Championship as Scottie Scheffler steals the show
It definitely turned into a week to forget for McIlroy. Heading into the PGA Championship, there appeared to be a real chance that he would win major number six. He had won at Quail Hollow four times previously.
However, McIlroy did not recover from a slow start on the course on Thursday. And his decision to not speak to the media after each round seemed to do little for the fan support he received.
McIlroy clearly did absolutely nothing wrong with his driver. And yet, he has given people a genuine reason to criticise him with his conduct over the week.
The 36-year-old seemed to have all of the momentum in the world after his win at The Masters. But somehow, one month later, it feels as though he is already the one with a small point to prove again after Scheffler stole the show at Rory McIlroy Country Club.
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