Top-ranked Scheffler powers to PGA St. Jude Championship victory

World number one Scottie Scheffler secured a commanding eight-stroke victory in the St. Jude Championship on Sunday, clinching his first PGA Tour title since January. The American demonstrated his prowess by posting a four-under par 66, resulting in a total score of 263 at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. South Korean Kim Si-woo secured the runner-up position with a two-under 68, finishing at nine-under par.

Scheffler, who had previously experienced multiple runner-up finishes and four other top-four finishes over an extended dry spell, expressed his satisfaction with his performance. Despite facing a few challenges, he remarked, "I feel like I kept saying at the end of each tournament - Man, I feel like I'm playing pretty good. It's just the little things aren't going my way."

Scheffler started the day with a two-shot lead, his first 54-hole lead in over a year, but encountered a setback when his shot from a greenside bunker at the third hole hit a sprinkler head and landed in the water, resulting in a bogey.

However, Scheffler quickly bounced back with a 10-foot birdie at the fifth hole, followed by 20-foot birdie putts at the sixth and 11th holes. He sealed his victory with a 22-foot birdie at the 13th hole, leaving his competitors far behind. Scheffler's friend and fellow golfer Sam Burns, who began the day tied for second, was unable to replicate Scheffler's momentum, finishing with a three-over 73 and sharing third place with Sweden's Alex Noren at eight-under par.

South Korean Im Sung-jae, who had shared second overnight, ended the tournament with a four-over 74, securing a fifth-place finish. This result allowed Im to move into the top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings and secure a spot in the upcoming BMW Championship. Scheffler, whose six-month title drought was the longest since 2023, claimed his 21st PGA Tour title, emphasizing that "this is a lot better feeling than having statistically another good week."