Scottie Scheffler clinched his sixth win of the season at the Travelers Championship after enduring a brief interruption from a climate protest and a late surge by Tom Kim.
Scheffler, demonstrating his dominance on the PGA Tour this year, secured victory in sudden death on Sunday with a birdie on the first playoff hole. His triumph ties him with Tiger Woods for the most wins in a single season since 2009.
Reflecting on the protest that briefly halted play on the 72nd hole, Scheffler admitted, “When something like that happens, you don’t really know what’s happening. It can kind of rattle you a little bit.” The interruption, caused by activists protesting climate change, saw Scheffler and Kim navigating a disrupted finish to regulation play.
Scheffler’s path to victory included a final round of 5-under 65, concluding with a total score of 22-under 258 at TPC River Highlands. Tom Kim matched Scheffler’s score with a final round 66, forcing the playoff.
Behind Scheffler and Kim, Tom Hoge and Sungjae Im finished tied for third, two shots adrift. Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Justin Thomas, and Akshay Bhatia shared fifth place at 18 under par. Bhatia, part of the final group affected by the protest, reflected on the disruption: “I was scared for my life. … Thankfully the cops were there and kept us safe.”
The activist group Extinction Rebellion claimed responsibility for the protest, attributing it to recent climate-related incidents in the area.
In the playoff, Scheffler secured victory with a composed performance, hitting his approach to 11 feet while Kim struggled from a greenside bunker. Scheffler’s two-putt par secured the win, earning him $3.6 million from the tournament’s $20 million prize pool.
Despite the competitive atmosphere, Scheffler praised Kim’s performance, noting their friendship and shared birthday: “As much as I love him, I would have loved to take that away from him. … But I’m happy for him.”
Scheffler’s victory at the Travelers Championship follows earlier wins at prestigious events like the Masters and The Players Championship, highlighting a standout season for the golfer from Dallas.
With two months remaining in the season, Scheffler remains a dominant force on the PGA Tour, poised to continue his impressive run.
