Scottie Scheffler is on such a dominant run that even talking about it feels surreal. On Sunday, he captured the Memorial Tournament title for the second straight year, with none other than Jack Nicklaus — the tournament’s host and one of golf’s all-time greats — watching closely. Nicklaus sees a reflection of his own playing style in Scheffler.
“When you get into position, it’s about closing smart. That’s what he does,” Nicklaus said after watching Scheffler secure a four-shot victory at Muirfield Village. “He plays the game the way I liked to.”
Scheffler, currently ranked No. 1 in the world, didn’t relinquish his lead throughout the final round. He shot a 2-under 70 on Sunday, making him the only player to finish under par all four days — a performance that echoed his PGA Championship win just two weeks ago. His 10-under total (278) was good enough to fend off runner-up Ben Griffin and make Scheffler one of only two players, alongside Tiger Woods, to win the Memorial in back-to-back years.
Despite not playing his sharpest golf — he didn’t have a birdie putt until the fifth hole and found just four of the first 10 greens — Scheffler stayed in control. A bogey on the 10th was his only mistake in his last 40 holes. Griffin had a chance to catch up, but a missed 4-foot birdie on the 11th proved costly, especially as Scheffler converted his chance. The lead stretched from one to four in a matter of holes.
“I didn’t spend much time in the rough — just once on 10. That’s key here,” Scheffler said.
Griffin made a late push with an eagle on 15 and a long birdie on 16, narrowing the gap to two. But Scheffler’s mistake-free approach on 17 and 18, combined with Griffin’s double bogey on 17, sealed the result. Griffin finished second with a 73, collecting $2.2 million — even more than his winning prize the week before at Colonial.
Sepp Straka (70) took third. Rickie Fowler, meanwhile, tied for seventh, earning him a spot in the upcoming British Open thanks to his higher world ranking.
Scheffler has now won three of his last four tournaments and five high-stakes PGA Tour events in the past two years. His consistency is staggering: his last three wins came by margins of eight (Byron Nelson), five (PGA Championship), and four (Memorial).
“He didn’t play his best,” Nicklaus said. “But he played smart, solid golf — exactly what the best player in the world is supposed to do.”
