Scottie Scheffler improved upon his own greatness — and golf is left to reckon with it
This is the message Scottie Scheffler has delivered — in a subliminal way — to the rest of the golf world.
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That was a recurring theme heard from those competitors of the 29-year-old world No. 1 who nearly lapped the field en route to winning the 153rd British Open on Sunday at Royal Portrush.
Scheffler's final margin of victory at the Open was four shots, but it felt like double that with the way he completely controlled the tournament, particularly the final 36 holes.
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USA Today
38 minutes ago
- USA Today
What does a PGA Tour tournament director think about six months from an event?
The 2025 American Express PGA Tour event in La Quinta had perhaps the most inauspicious start in the tournament's six-decade history. A week before the tournament world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler withdrew from the tournament, the result of minor hand surgery from a cooking accident. Then just days later, Xander Schauffele, at the time the No. 2 player in the world, and winner of two major championships in 2024, withdrew with a rib injury that would keep him off the tour for weeks. Somehow, the tournament's executive director said, those two losses didn't damage the desert's PGA Tour event that much. 'I don't think it did,' said Pat McCabe on Wednesday. 'Anytime you lose the world No. 1 and No. 2 in your field, it's a hit, whatever you think. But it's not like they played the following week. They were out for a period of time. I can't recall exactly when they returned, but it was multiple weeks after for AmEx. And our field was still again very strong. So that is something for us to hang our hat on.' Those high-profile withdrawals were six months ago, and with six months remaining before the 2026 American Express, McCabe finds himself thinking about everything from the strength of the field to ticket prices to bands for concerts next January. Austrian Sepp Straka won the 2025 American Express, and while he might not have been a household name for American fans despite already playing in a Ryder Cup, Straka has kept the name of The American Express event alive since his win. He won a second time this year at the signature Trusist Championship and is third in the season-long FedEx Cup race behind only Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. Here are the things McCabe and his team from SportFive are focusing on six months away from the next The American Express: Players McCabe admits the attempt to recruit players to the La Quinta tournament won't really ramp up for a few months. 'Look, they just finished their final major of the year. Scottie (Scheffler) put on a clinic over there at the British Open),' McCabe said. 'They are going to turn their focus to the FedEx Cup playoffs and then the Ryder Cup. So really not until some point in the fall will we start engaged and having discussions with guys. That's when they are making their schedules. These guys are committing later and later, so we will start diving in an engaging in the fall at some point and look to make the announcements on that same cadence something in the fall and early winter.' Sponsorships Title sponsor American Express is signed through 2028, but smaller sponsorships for hospitality venues and the like still need to be the focus for the tournament. 'Sponsorship is a big one for us. We've got a great list of returning partners for us. That's one of the things. We tear the golf tournament down, we are off the property mid-February,' McCabe said. 'And then it is all full-speed ahead of renewal of sponsorships, critiquing.' McCabe said increasingly sponsors are signing multi-year deals, meaning the tournament doesn't have to seek renewals each year. Many of those sponsorships include berths into the tournament's pro-ams, either a Monday or Wednesday one-day pro-am or the official three-day pro-am starting Thursday of tournament week alongside the PGA Tour pros. McCabe said he's having to make some difficult phone calls these days to tell golfers wanting to purchase pro-am berths that there is no space for them because of the berths going to the growing sponsorship roster. That sponsorship roster is helped by American Express. 'They have got their various relationships within the business community, but also they are able to introduce us to partners of theirs,' McCabe said. 'But a lot of the credit goes to our host organization, Impact Through Golf. Our board of directors is very well connected, so they have been extremely instrumental in soliciting sponsors, making introductions, kind of having people come one year and experience the tournament as a participant and then getting their company involved.' Bands McCabe laughs when he admits he gets as many questions about who the bands for the Friday and Saturday concerts will be as who the professional golfers in the field will be. Last January, those bands were Journey and Little Big Town. McCabe isn't ready to announce the 2026 bands yet, but the tournament is close to finalizing those deals, he said. 'We are hoping to announce much earlier than normal,' McCabe said. 'We have got offers out, one actually I think is very close to confirming. The other one, hopefully they will confirm within the next week or two. Historically, we haven't been able to launch until end of October, early November time frame. Our ultimate goal is we could be in the market by mid-September.' Golf courses For the 11th consecutive year, the three-course rotation for The American Express will remain the same, with La Quinta Country Club, the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West and the Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West being played each of the first three days, and the Stadium Course hosting Sunday's final round. The 2025 event was dominated by talk of renovations to all 18 green complexes at the Stadium Course, which led to firmer greens and higher scores on the course. McCabe said he's aware only of some small tweaks to four of the Stadium Course greens, nothing that will likely impact play in 2026.
Los Angeles Times
6 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Letters to Sports: Time for Dodgers to make some changes
Between Mookie Betts hustling down the first-base line and Freddie Freeman's walk-off hit, Wednesday's Dodger victory over the Twins brought back great memories of last year's World Series. Hopefully this game will be a catalyst for getting the Dodgers out of the funk they have been in. Moving six-time right field Gold Glover Betts back to right (although his defense at short has been fine) would also propel the Dodgers to — as Tommy Lasorda used to say — taste the fruits of victory more often. Ken FeldmanTarzana Bill Plaschke and Dylan Hernández, where are you guys when we really need you? Why aren't you beating the drum loudly and repeatedly for the return of Mookie Betts to right field? Yeah, I know Mookie says it's not a factor in his slump. Would he ever admit that? Of course not. And Dave Roberts agrees … publicly, but I'd bet privately he feels otherwise. It was a lame idea to begin with. Who did they need to make room for out there, the next Ted Willams? And currently they have someone in Miguel Rojas who's probably a better fielder and at the moment even a better hitter. Please get the front office to do what's right before it's too late. Jack WishardLos Angeles I have never seen a bullpen for a pro baseball team that walked as many batters as the current one for the Dodgers. A relief pitcher who can't throw strikes is like a teacher who can't read. Unless this 'Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight' gets replacements and reinforcements soon they may have trouble making the postseason before it is all over, let alone repeating their championship. Alan AbajianAlta Loma Unfortunately, the Dodgers are not impervious to injury issues. The last time I checked, all teams experience injuries. Hopefully the team will deal with the issues rather than finding excuses as to why they're no longer 'baseball's evil empire.' Patrick KelleyLos Angeles My grandmother said she would like to pitch for the Dodgers. I think she will fit right in. Deborah R. IshidaBeverly Hills Just like the Lakers, the Clippers get their own 40-year-old player in Chris Paul. The Clippers always emulate the Lakers minus the results. Wayne MuramatsuCerritos Regarding the Chargers trying to curry favor and regain the loyalty of their old San Diego fans, some advice: If you want to keep your fans, don't ditch your hometown! Jack WolfWestwood As I watched the majesty and uniqueness of 'The Open' golf championship, my thoughts were of the man who saved this masterpiece of golf from becoming irrelevant. In the late 1950's, most PGA pros were starting to skip this tournament because of the relatively low purse and significant travel involved. Interest in this championship was waning. Then, Arnold Palmer came along and changed everything! In 1960, he traveled to the Open and continued to do so every year for many years during the peak period of his popularity,. As a result, 'The Open' maintained its place as one of the four majors of golf and the rest is history. William R. FadoPacific Palisades The WNBA All Stars wearing T-shirts demanding more money has redefined the word delusional. Since its inception, the WNBA has hemorrhaged money and been subsidized by the NBA. But for the fortuity of the Caitlin Clark phenomenon, the league would likely be bankrupt, not adding expansion teams and signing a lucrative new TV deal. Some free advice: Protect your cash cow (Clark), rather than killing it for hamburgers. Mark S. RothPlaya Vista Another 'action packed' WNBA All-Star Game with airballs, unneeded extra steps, inactive officiating, distracted announcers, and no defense. Just like the NBA. David MarshallSanta Monica The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used. Email: sports@
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Rory McIlroy delivers perfect response to Masters question as he parties in Saint Tropez
Rory McIlroy hit back with a witty reply to a supporter when asked about the whereabouts of his Masters green jacket. The five-time major champion completed the career Grand Slam at Augusta National back in April when he claimed an emotional play-off triumph over Justin Rose to become only the sixth player to accomplish the achievement. Despite not claiming victory at an event since, the 36-year-old has decent form of late with three recent top three finishes. READ MORE: Rory McIlroy hailed for 'hilarious' Happy Gilmore 2 'purple-nurple' scene with WWE star despite critics panning movie READ MORE: Inside the five-star hotel where Rory McIlroy stayed during the Open Championship McIlroy is presently taking a break from competition after the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush. Nevertheless, he still drew attention from supporters whilst visiting a beach club in Saint Tropez. In footage posted on social media, a supporter can be observed holding their mobile phone towards McIlroy. The screen displays the question "Where's the green jacket?" Upon noticing the phone, McIlroy gestures to the supporter and responds: "It's on the yacht." His answer was instantly greeted with applause and giggles from the supporter, who shouts: "Yes, let's go!". Following his victory at Augusta, McIlroy was presented with his green jacket from 2024 Masters winner Scottie Scheffler after his success. The world number two can don it as he wishes for 12 months. However, he must then return it to Augusta National, where it must stay on the club premises. Alongside the jacket, McIlroy also received a gold medal, a replica of the Masters trophy and a staggering £3.2million in prize money for his triumph. McIlroy's jaunt to Saint Tropez comes after a tied-seventh finish at The Open last weekend. Before this, he finished in a tie for second at the Scottish Open the previous week. Despite not securing the claret jug, McIlroy was greeted with a hero's welcome as he approached the 18th green on Sunday at Royal Portrush. The Holywood man has not confirmed if he will be taking part in next week's Wyndham Championship, but he will be involved in the FedEx Cup play-offs in August.
