Scheffler makes clutch putt to
force Monday playoff against Hovland in Travelers Championship
[June 29, 2026]
By DOUG FERGUSON
CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler made an 8-foot par putt on
the 18th hole Sunday and pumped his fist with more emotion than he
showed all day, just for the right to return Monday at the
rain-delayed Travelers Championship to face a sudden-death playoff
against Viktor Hovland.
The final round was stopped for 90 minutes as storms moved over the
TPC River Highlands, and officials deemed there was not enough
daylight for them to start the playoff.
The playoff was to start at 9 a.m. Monday, the first time a PGA Tour
went an extra day since The Players Championship last year.
“It’s more fun when you’re making the ones to win,” Scheffler said.
“But to keep yourself in it is also nice. Like I said, I live
another day until tomorrow, and will be coming out in the morning
and see what I can do.”
Scheffler and Hovland each had birdie chances at the end. Scheffler
rammed his 30-foot putt 8 feet by the hole. Hovland's 25-foot
attempt missed by inches and he tapped in for a 69. Scheffler made
his third big par putt for a 68 to match Hovland at 21-under 259.
That was one shot ahead of Collin Morikawa, who closed with a 61 and
was briefly tied for the lead, though it never looked as though it
would be enough.
Hovland, who went into the final round with a one-shot lead over
Scheffler, found himself two back when play was halted by a pounding
rain and lightning in the area, both of them in the fairway on the
14th hole.
Hovland poured in a 15-foot birdie putt from just off the green, to
get within one shot and Scheffler had to make a 6-foot par putt to
stay in the lead.
On the reachable par-4 15th, Scheffler's pitch from the collar of
rough — wet grass might have saved his tee shot from going in the
water — raced toward the pin on the top shelf and kept right on
going, over the back and down a slope. He chipped that just onto the
green and made another big par putt with Hovland in tight for a
third straight birdie.
That left them tied. Scheffler missed a big opportunity on a 10-foot
birdie chance on the 17th that spun off of the left edge of the cup,
and the world's No. 1 player did well to hammer a shot from the wet
rough right of the 18th fairway to just inside 30 feet.
[to top of second column] |
Scottie Scheffler reacts to his tee shot on the 18th hole during the
final round of the Travelers Championship golf tournament at TPC
River Highlands, Sunday, June 28, 2026, in Cromwell, Conn. (AP
Photo/Jessica Hill)
PGA Tour official decided before they finished the
18th there would not be enough light to play even one extra hole.
They arrived at the playoff in different manners — Scheffler with
three birdies against one bogey, Hovland going through a 10-hole
stretch in the middle of his round with just two pars.
Hovland fell behind by two early, only for a two-shot swing on No.
7. There was a two-shot swing in Scheffler's favorite to start the
back nine, and then Hovland made up ground with three straight
birdies, the final two after rain changed the condition of the
course.
The break was good for Hovland just to settle him down.
“I hit some good shots and then some bad shots and I just couldn’t
quite get a flow in,” Hovland said. “So it was nice to just get
completely off the golf course and reset and I felt a lot better
coming back. So sometimes that’s all you need.”
Morikawa finished in style, a shot out of the wet sand in the bunker
on the 18th to just inside 10 feet for ninth birdie of the round to
post at 20-under 260. Morikawa, who started the day nine shots out
of the lead, had to wait some three hours — including the delay —
before leaving.
“The thought of actually having a chance, waiting it out, didn’t
really cross my mind,” Morikawa said. “But I told my wife earlier
this morning, ‘Let’s shoot 61 and end the three-week stretch on a
good note.’ And sometimes the way you manifest things works out.”
Matt Fitzpatrick shot 64 to finish alone in fourth followed by U.S.
Open champion Wyndham Clark, who played remarkably well after such a
draining week at Shinnecock Hills. He was in it until a shot into
the water for bogey on the 17th. Clark had a 65 and was three shots
back.
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