NAPA, CA – What was thought-about the American staff’s Ryder Cup coaching camp has develop into a typical week for Scotty Schaeffler.
Schaeffler needed to sharpen his means forward of the September 26-28 match at Bethpage Black. The world’s No. 1 noticed all the pieces that Sunday on the Procol Championship, closing out Ben Griffin with a 5-under 67 with a one-shot victory.
This was Schaeffler’s sixth PGA Tour title of the 12 months. He has joined Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer since 1960 as the one gamers to win at the very least six consecutive seasons.
“This was per week once I was enjoying a brand new golf course, and this was a golf course that was fairly difficult for the primary time,” Schaeffler stated. “I did a extremely good job of staying within the event for the primary two days, and on the final two days I performed actually good golf to be on this place.”
He made an eight-shot deficit with Griffin over the weekend, ending 19 beneath 269 in rounds of 64 and 67.
Silverado has gained the strongest discipline and largest gallery because the event moved to Napa in 2014. When Schaeffler and Griffin got here down on the wire, they obtained fairly a present within the fiery solar till Griffin shortened as soon as.
The 2-time winner of this 12 months, Griffin made his Ryder Cup debut at Beth Web page Black and had a 60-foot Eagle putt for his victory on the par-5 18th gap. He reduce that delay about 5 ft shorter, and birdie putt compelled the playoffs to catch his left lip. He shot 70.
“I felt prefer it wasn’t as sharp as I wanted to get from the brief distances,” stated Griffin, who completed second in Schaeffler this 12 months. “However I hope to begin working subsequent week and make each certainly one of them with the Ryder Cup.”
Schaeffler was one of many gamers who focused a superb place for Ryder Cup groups to play the Procol Championship initially of the 12 months, permitting him to keep away from errors throughout which all the pieces from two years in the past took a month off earlier than a match in Rome.
4 Ryder Cup gamers completed within the high 10, with US Open Champion JJ Span (66) ending sixth and Cameron Younger (67) ending in ninth place.
“We had the thought of doing a scouting journey to Beth Web page or coming right here to play this occasion. We felt it was a bit extra value it to have everybody right here and play event golf to get slot in,” Schaeffler stated.
“For me, there’s the distinction between training at dwelling and being beneath the gun in a event.”
However as soon as the event started, Schaeffler was all about successful.
It was his nineteenth profession victory on the PGA Tour.
Now he is heading for enjoying within the Ryder Cup, going through Europe, which has had the sting in these matches over the previous 30 years.
Lanto Griffin put stress on him like anybody, getting into the autumn a part of the schedule at No. 142 of the FedEx Cup, with 100 gamers holding full playing cards.
He delivered 65 on his personal third, incomes his greatest end in almost 4 years. It lifted him to one centesimal place within the rankings and gained at the very least 5 tournaments in two months.
“It is big,” Griffin stated. “Considered one of my objectives this week was to present myself an opportunity.
“I want Scotty wasn’t right here, however I am positive the followers loved it.”
Schaeffler began off with two photographs and fell as early as 4 occasions as Ben Griffin birded the opening three holes. Nevertheless, Griffin missed a 4-foot putt and went to 10 holes with out making a birdie.
Schaeffler pecked with 4 birdies over 10 holes. After an inadvertent 3-putt bogey from 15 ft on the eleventh, he answered with two birdies on par 5 to take the lead when Griffin struggled to get one thing.
Auburn’s junior Jackson Coiven, the world’s No. 1 newbie who performed within the remaining group, took thirteenth place when he went lengthy on the inexperienced after taking pictures two photographs on the seven holes to play when he took a comfortable bogey on the par 5 twelfth.
Koivun was closed at 71 and tied for fourth place with Emiliano Grillo (66). He finishes 4 straight occasions in Koivun’s eleventh Higher on the PGA Tour, and until the 20-year-old has different plans in school, he can have the chance to compete within the Sanderson Farms Championship in three weeks.
