Scottie At Last!! Scheffler Stuns Cantlay In Phoenix Playoff

Scottie Scheffler stood on the 72nd green at TPC Scottsdale late Sunday afternoon with the ultimate Gift Horse staring at him.

That Gift Horse was the great lob wedge shot he stuff in there from just 96 yards to a tad less than six feet.

There it was — just six feet to put an end to that “it’s just a matter of time” for Scheffler to win on the PGA Tour.

Surely he’d make it, surely it would hit the bottom of the cup and Sheffler would get that first win in magnificent style — you know — the crowd goes nuts and all that good stuff.

But no.

Scheffler either misread or pushed it as his ball didn’t touch the hole.

After a long afternoon, he missed it, signed for 67 and a playoff date with world No. 4 and Player Of The Year Patrick Cantlay as the two finished tied at 16-under par.

It was an all-star fight to the finish at the Phoenix Open.  Cantlay was in it, Brooks Koepka (defending champion) was in it, Xander Schauffele was in it and so was the rookie — Sahith Theegala — who was looking to pull off the upset and nearly did.

Theegala held onto the overnight lead then kept it for most of the day on Sunday.  But it was a shot he hit too well that cost him.  At the par four 17th, a nasty little hole that temps everyone to drive the green then make birdie or eagle, was waiting for Theegala.  He pulled his strong two-hybrid and nailed it.  The shot looked great but it came in from the left side of the green, there was no bank to slow it down a bit, it hit, rolled, then rolled some more — all the way off the green, down the back slope and into the water hazard behind the green.

The Pepperdine grad couldn’t save par, fell back to 15-under then watched Scheffler make birdie.  It was Scottie’s fifth birdie that nine.  He lit up that nine on Saturday, shooting 29 on his way to a nine-under par 62 that put him in the thick of it.

While Koepka was struggling to hit fairways and make birdies and Cantlay found just one on the final nine, it was Scheffler who used his power to birdie both back-nine par fives and that 17th.

He reached 18, tied with Cantlay, who finished just ahead of him, with 67 and 16-under.

Two perfect shots set the table for a regulation win by Scheffler.  But that would have been too easy.  This is golf, wins don’t come easy and now Scheffler had to take on the poker-faced, foot-shuffling Cantlay — who owned a 3-1 playoff record.  It was Scheffler’s first.

On the first trip down 18, two fairway drives produced a 40-footer for birdie by Scheffler, Cantlay had the advantage — just inside 20 feet.  Both missed, tapped-in for par.

Second trip — same result — two pars.

The Super Bowl was starting and you could imagine television viewers fleeing by the thousands.

The third time down 18, Scheffler hit a so-so shot from 123 yards out — 26 feet — nothing great.  Cantlay, on the other hand, was just 98 yards out and surely he’d stick one this time.  He didn’t — 14 feet was the best he could do.

But then fate smiled on Scheffler and the 26-footer found the bottom of the hole.  Yesssssss.

With the heat on, Cantlay didn’t produce and that “Just A Matter Of Time” came for Scottie Scheffler late on Super Bowl Sunday, February 13, 2022.

Scottie’s wife, Meredith, ran out and put a bear-hug on her man.  A long one.  Amanda Balionis had a hard time breaking in for a quick word or two from the winner.

“Just a lot of hard work,” said Scheffler as he attempted to dry his eyes.  “We worked really hard for this.  Just appreciative.”

And so it happened.

When one gift-horse disappeared, Scotty made his own.

After all, it was just a matter of time.

Phoenix Open Scoreboard: