Scottie Scheffler matches Tiger Woods record after backing up Masters win

Scottie Scheffler has become the first player on the PGA Tour since Tiger Woods in 2006 to follow up a major championship victory with a win one week later, after being crowned champion at the RBC Heritage.

After a delayed Sunday, Scheffler’s victory was finally confirmed early on Monday after signing for a final round, three-under-par 68 to finish at 19-under for the tournament. Fresh from winning his second green jacket in three years at last week’s Masters, Scheffler’s domination continued at Harbour Town.

Having headed into the weekend three shots off the lead, the 27-year-old burst into life, carding a superb eight-under 63 in Saturday’s third round to ensure he was once again the man to catch with 18 holes to play.

Sunday’s final round saw more of the same, as the world No. 1 got himself off to a fast start to distance himself from his PGA Tour rivals. Scheffler kicked into life on his second hole of the day after making an eagle three, before stretching his advantage with a birdie at the second par five of the day at the fifth.

Comfortable at the top, seven pars followed before he added another birdie to his card at the par-four 13th. A par followed at 13, before it looked as if Scheffler was about to make his first hiccup of the final round one hole later. Hitting into the par-five 15th, the Masters champion found the water left, forcing him to take a penalty drop.

In typical Scheffler fashion though, he regrouped before saving his par with a superb putt from 12-feet. Play was then brought to a close, before the American returned on Monday to claim his title. Even a bogey at the 18th could not deter Scheffler, as he went on to win by three shots, his fourth victory in five starts.

For all the latest on news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US.

Scottie Scheffler’s dominance continued

Nobody since the great Woods has followed up a major victory with a win just days later, after the 82-time PGA Tour champion added the 2006 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational to his CV, fresh off the back of winning the PGA Championship a week prior. Scheffler has earned a number of comparisons to Woods in recent months, and whilst he has a long way to go to replicate the 15-time major winner, his current dominance is somewhat Tiger-like.

Scheffler would have to go even further back into the archives to see who was the last man to win the week following the Masters, after Bernhard Langer followed his green jacket win in 1986 by winning the same title seven days later. Speaking in the immediate aftermath of his victory on Monday, the world No. 1 said: “Last week was fantastic and then coming into this week I didn’t have my usual prep work but, showed up, rested and was ready to go.

“I got off to a slow start on Thursday but then I played some really nice golf the rest of the tournament, and it is nice for it to be done,” he added with a smile. Scheffler’s next outing may well be next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla, with the 27-year-old and wife Meredith expecting the imminent birth of their first child.