Scottie Scheffler fell just three strokes short of winning the WM Phoenix Open for the third consecutive time, but the T3 finish on Sunday helped him extend his earnings from the event to $5,824,541 and continue being the all-time leading money earner at the TPC Scottsdale.
Scheffler first played in the WM Phoenix Open in 2020, where he failed to make a cut. However, since then, there has been no looking back for him, as he has registered top-10 finishes in the next four starts at the event and also won the event back-to-back in 2022 and 2023. Last year, he won the $3.6 million check to go past Phil Mickelson as the leading money earner at the TPC Scottsdale. Mickelson had earned $4.2 million in his 30 appearances at the event.
This year, the World No. 1 golfer finished joint third after shooting his third straight 66 of the week to aggregate at 18-under. For the T3 finish, he and Sam Burns received $519,200, bringing the former’s total earnings from the event to $5,824,541.
Last year, Scheffler won two titles on the PGA Tour and earned $21,014,342, breaking the record for the highest earnings in a single season. Speaking at the post-round interview, the 27-year-old golfer said he was a bit frustrated with his performance as he didn’t finish the way he desired to.
“I gave myself a good chance this week,” he said. “Played a lot of solid golf, did a lot of good things. Obviously I’m a little bit frustrated I think with how I finished, but outside of that I gave myself a good chance, just wasn’t able to close.”
Last year’s runner-up Nick Taylor controlled his nerves in the last few holes at the WM Phoenix Open and rallied from behind to force a playoff against Charley Hoffman, finishing at 21-under. While both players birdied the first extra hole, the Canadian edged past the 47-year-old veteran in the second playoff hole after making another birdie.
Taylor bagged $1,584,000 for his fourth win on the PGA Tour. Interestingly, this was less than the $2,180,000 he received last year for his runner-up finish because, unlike this time, it was a designated event in the 2022–23 season.
When will Scottie Scheffler play next?
Scottie Scheffler will next compete at the Genesis Invitational, which will take place from Thursday, February 15 to Sunday, February 18 at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.
The Genesis Invitational is one of the two events that Tiger Woods hosts and will also mark the start of the veteran’s 2024 PGA Tour season. It will be the third Signature event of the season, but unlike the Sentry and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, it will have a 36-hole cut.