Scottie Scheffler’s incredible 2022 season on the PGA Tour ended in disappointment as the American endured a round to forget at the Tour Championship. The 26-year-old started off the campaign in brilliant fashion by winning his first major at The Masters with an accomplished performance over the four days at Augusta.
Scheffler had previously risen to the heights of world number one after winning the WGC-Dell Match Play, highlighting his consistency on the PGA Tour. He also claimed the Arnold Palmer Invitational crown, his last title of the campaign.
However, Scheffler remained a model of consistency and finished at the US Open and closed out the year by placing third at the BMW Championship and tied second at the Tour Championship.
The American is already one of the leading contenders in the golf odds at 12/1 to win the Green Jacket for a second time in a row, which would see him emulate Tiger Woods as the last man to achieve the feat of successive wins at Augusta.
First on his agenda though is to end the 2022 campaign on a high note in the Presidents Cup. The United States is backed at 1/6 in the Presidents Cup betting to win the title against the International team.
The US is stacked with talent compared to its opponents, and anything other than a dominant victory would be a surprise.
Scheffler is the breakout star of the 2022 season alongside Cameron Smith. Both men were extremely impressive over the course of the campaign, although Smith opted to end his PGA Tour season by defecting to the LIV Golf Series.
Scheffler has announced no plans to make the move, reaffirming his commitment to the PGA Tour.
It could be a sliding doors moment for the two players, who both won their first majors in 2022.
The two battled it out at Augusta for the Green Jacket, but Scheffler saw off the threat of the Australian to claim the win. Smith did come into his own later in the second to win the British Open, making his mark and moving to world number two behind Scheffler.
Scheffler benefitted from the regular schedule of events on the PGA Tour on his rise through the ranks.
The regular golf action against the best players in the world has allowed Scheffler to develop into a superstar, notching three top-10 finishes at the majors and three PGA Tour crowns before his breakthrough at Augusta.
The 26-year-old has expressed no desire to join the breakaway tour, citing the need to play against the best on a regular basis for his decision to remain on the PGA Tour. He is certainly proof that the system works along with his own immense talent on the course.
There could be accusations that the PGA Tour schedule is too long, which may have been a cause for his slight dip towards the end of the campaign.
Scheffler should have been able to close out victory at the Tour Championship ahead of McIlroy, only to post his worst round of the term on the final at the East Lake Club in Georgia.
It proved that even the best player still needs to work on his composure, and the sign that he believes that it is best served on the PGA Tour is a good sign for their future.
The futures of Scheffler and Smith will be worth watching over the course of the next few years.
Whereas one has remained committed to the standard of the PGA Tour, the other has opted for the riches of the LIV Golf Series and potentially uncertainty of the standard of competition and schedule. The first major of the 2023 season will be very illuminating.