Scottie Scheffler makes Phil Mickelson eat his | Golf News

Scottie Scheffler has shushed doubters like Phil Mickelson by clinching the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, reasserting his standing as the present world No. 1.

Snagging his first PGA Tour win of 2025, Scheffler ended the tourney on a phenomenal 31-under-par, ending a whopping eight photographs forward. Erik van Rooyen took second place with 23-under-par, while Jordan Spieth, eyeing the profession Grand Slam at the upcoming PGA Championship, notched a personal best spherical of 62 on Sunday.

After what’s been thought-about a subdued 12 months for him, Scheffler will no doubt revel in triumphing at TPC Craig Ranch. This comes after Mickelson’s daring prediction earlier that Scheffler would not bag one other PGA Tour title before September.

In defiance, the 28-year-old proved his prowess just final 12 months by bagging 9 titles, including the distinguished Masters, Players, Olympics, and Tour Championship.

With Rory McIlroy making an explosive begin to 2025, sweeping wins at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Players, and Masters, whispers about Scheffler’s grip on the ‘world’s best’ title have been growing louder.

Meanwhile, Mickelson, who despatched some curiously-timed tweets before the LIV Golf occasion in South Korea, was among those questioning Scheffler’s high spot by touting his LIV colleague Joaquin Niemann as the superior participant. “Top 5? Try #1,” Mickelson controversially claimed on X back in March.

Mickelson has forged doubt on Scheffler’s probabilities to bag a win before the Ryder Cup in September this 12 months. On X in March, he conjectured with stunning certainty: “Here’s a hot take. Does Scottie win in 2025 before the Ryder Cup? I don’t think so.”

Despite profitable 5 LIV tournaments since the daybreak of 2024, Niemann now finds himself ranked 83rd in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), primarily due to the group’s refusal to allocate rating factors for LIV occasions.

The 26-year-old prodigy from Chile boasts as {many professional} victories as Scheffler (18 each) and is taken into account one of golf’s elite.

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However, over the previous 18 months, not even Niemann has been ready to eclipse Scheffler’s efficiency. His latest triumph at TPC Craig Ranch serves as a testomony to his abilities, particularly with the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in North Carolina just around the nook, beginning in a mere 11 days.

With eyes set on the PGA Championship victory, Scheffler goals to edge nearer to reaching the profession Grand Slam. Already a two-time main winner with both titles at the Masters, he appears to be like to add to his repertoire.

The 12 months still holds three more majors in store: apart from the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open is set for June at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania, and The Open Championship will make its manner to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland come July.

Overwhelmed by his Sunday victory, Scheffler could not disguise his feelings. This week’s occasion carries important sentimental weight, based by the late Byron Nelson—a giant with 5 main wins—who handed away in 2006. Adding to the sentiment, the event takes place in Texas, a stone’s throw from Scheffler’s hometown.