Scheffler's Dominance Continues, Yang Captures First Career Major | The Sunday Swing

The Sunday Swing 
June 23rd, 2024 

Welcome back to another edition of the Sunday Swing presented by 2nd Swing Golf. This week was a busy one on the professional golfing world with the PGA Tour playing their final signature event of the season at the Travelers Championship, while the LPGA’s best competed for another major at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Travelers Championship - Tournament History 

The Travelers Championship was established in 1952 as a regular stop on the PGA Tour schedule. Since 1984, it has been held at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, CT which was originally designed by Robert Ross and Maurice Kearny in 1928, then redesigned by Pete Dye in 1982, then once again by Bobby Weed in 1989. The 6,841 yard par-70 is one of the shortest courses the players see during the season, giving shorter hitters a better opportunity to contend, and setting up for a lot of birdies and low scores. In fact, the lowest round in PGA Tour history was recorded here in 2016 when Jim Furyk fired a 58. Even though Furyk did not go on to win that week, he still cemented himself in history and his 58 still stands as the lowest round ever on the PGA Tour. 

This year is just the second time the Travelers is being played as a signature event, giving players an opportunity to earn extra FedEx Cup points while playing for a $20,000,000 purse. Despite the course playing easy for the players, the course has still given fans dramatic and exciting finishes throughout the years. Four of the last 10 editions have been decided in a playoff (including a 7-hole playoff in 2021), and two others were decided by just one stroke in regulation. The previous five winners of the Travelers Championship are as follows: 

2024 - Scottie Scheffler (-22)
2023 - Keegan Bradley (-23)
2022 - Xander Schauffele (-19)
2021 - Harris English (-13)
2020 - Dustin Johnson (-19) 

The Big Swing 

Scottie Scheffler has done it again – his sixth victory of the season. After a disappointing week at the U.S. Open where he finished T41 and never looked like himself, Scheffler came to the Travelers hoping to bounce back and prove that last week was just a fluke. To do so, he would have to again take down the game’s best players (besides Rory McIlroy, who withdrew to take some time away after last week’s heartbreaking loss at Pinehurst). 

To start the week, it was Tom Kim, the 22-year-old star from South Korea, who opened the week making eight birdies on his way to a bogey-free 62 and the early lead. Kim was essentially flawless from tee to green as he searched for his first win of 2024. Meanwhile, Scheffler opened with 65, alongside recent first-time major champion Xander Schauffele, while Collin Morikawa fired 66. 

The course was vulnerable throughout the week, and the players continued to expose it on Friday. Scheffler was able to follow up his opening 65 with a second-round 64, while Kim followed up his 62 with a 65 to take a commanding lead into the weekend. There were other big names lurking however, including Tony Finau, Patrick Cantlay, Schauffele, and Sungjae Im. 

With inclement weather in the forecast for the weekend, players were able to take advantage of soft conditions. The course was forfeiting low scores throughout the week, and the weekend provided even more. Cameron Young was amongst the players to make a big move on Saturday, adding his name to the list of now 13 players to shoot a 59 in the PGA Tour.  

As the race to the finish was on, the chasers continued to apply pressure to the youngster Kim. His biggest threat was Scheffler, who carded a Saturday 64 after making birdie on five of his last six holes. Meanwhile, Kim played another fantastic round, making six birdies and one bogey on his way to a round of 65 to maintain his lead. Finau was able to card a 64 on Saturday, giving himself a chance at his first win of the season heading into the final round. Another young star on the PGA Tour in Akshay Bhatia was seeking his second win of the year. Bhatia had opened with rounds of 64 and 65, and had come out strong on Saturday carding another 64 and putting himself firmly in the mix. 

On Sunday the scores remained low after a weather delay on Saturday that kept the course soft and getable. With the lead at 18-under, the chasers had a lot of work to do on Sunday. There were many players who made a significant move early in the day on Sunday. Tom Hoge was one of them, who shot a final-round 62 that included six birdies on his back nine. Reigning Open Champion Brian Harman also shot 62 on Sunday morning, making six birdies and an eagle on his way to posting a top 10 finish. 

As the final pairing of Scheffler, Kim, and Bhatia began their final round, it was clear that a low score would be required to hoist the trophy. Kim got off to a slow start, making par on his first five holes and allowing Scheffler to inch closer. The leaderboard became tightly packed as the final group entered the back nine, with five players sharing the lead at 19-under-par at one point. 

While Cantlay, Finau, and Hoge all shared the lead at some point, it was Scheffler and Kim who had pulled away in the last few holes with additional birdies. Entering the 72nd hole, Scheffler led by a shot at -22 to Kim’s -21, necessitating a birdie from Kim if he was to stay alive. 

Scheffler was unable to birdie, which opened that door for Kim to force a playoff. Kim’s approach shot had nearly went in the hole for eagle, but instead spun back some 10 feet from the hole. He made it, and the duo headed back to the 18th tee for a playoff hole.

Both players found the fairway off the tee, but the result of the approach shots was wildly different. Scheffler, having been in this position numerous times, showed his experience and poise by comfortably hitting hit approach to about 10 feet. Kim, meanwhile, fanned his approach and it wound up plugged in the bunker. After a routine two-putt, Scheffler became the first player since Arnold Palmer in 1962 to win six tournaments before the month of July. His historic season continues as he has claimed four of eight signature events and a major championship. 

In the World of Women’s Golf 

This week the LPGA Tour was in Sammamish, Washington for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club. With all of the biggest names in the field, this year’s KPMG Women’s PGA was shaping up to be a thrilling event. Red hot world No. 1 Nelly Korda came into the week with six wins on the year, and was looking to add another major title to her already impressive resume. After an opening round of 3-under, Korda found herself in a familiar position tied at the top of the leaderboard. On Friday, however, Korda was unable to carry over her momentum from Thursday. An uncharacteristic round of 81 left her on the outside looking in, where she ultimately missed the cut in her second consecutive major championship after winning the first of the year at the Chevron Championship. 

Meanwhile, 34-year-old Amy Yang from South Korea was seeking her first major title in her 75th start. After opening with rounds of 70 and 68, Yang had established herself at the top of the leaderboard. In order to come out on top, she would have to take down the likes of established major champions Lexi Thompson, Lilia Vu, and Jin Young Ko. With the course conditions playing difficult like a U.S. Open, Yang pushed forward with a solid third-round 71 that included three birdies and two bogeys. She held a two-shot lead entering the final round.

For many, Yang’s situation would generate a whole lot of nerves. She stood on the first tee of her final-round with a two-shot lead and a golden opportunity to win a major for the first time. However, the the nerves never appeared to play a factor. After opening her final round with a 2-under 34 on the front nine, Yang’s lead increased. Suddenly, she was so comfortably ahead that even a bogey on the 16th and a double bogey on the 17th left her still in the lead. A par on the par-5 18th was all she needed to claim the title by a comfortable margin of three strokes. The victory marks her sixth LPGA Tour title and her first major championship.