Penton: Scheffler’s Olympic gold ends all POY arguments
By Bruce Penton
After Xander Schauffele won the Open championship at Troon for his second major championship of 2024, the major conversation among golf insiders was about PGA Tour Player of the Year.
The debate percolated for a couple of weeks — does Schauffele’s two majors trump Scottie Scheffler’s six victories, including the Masters, the Players and the Memorial — or was Scheffler’s sterling record enough to give him the POY title.
It was a legitimate argument for a couple of weeks, but it ended abruptly in Paris when Scheffler roared back to win the Olympic gold medal with a final round nine-under-par 62 while Schauffele, who was tied for the lead entering the final round, faded to a tie for ninth with a two-over-par 73.
Ladies and gentlemen, let us introduce you to the Player of the Year — Scottie Scheffler.
When you consider Schauffele has finished in the top 10 in 13 of his 19 tournaments this year, and has gone 52 events in a row without missing the cut (dating back to the Masters in 2022), his POY credentials were certainly solid. Most years, the player of the year winner is obvious. And going into the Open Championship, the runaway leader was Scheffler. But Schaffele’s win muddied the water until Scheffler abruptly ended the debate with his victory in Paris.
Schauffele may still have a whisker of an outside chance. There are two playoff events to be played in August, along with the Tour Championship for the Fed-Ex Cup Aug. 29-Sept. 1. Schauffele running the table on those last three events could give him the title, but winning all three is unlikely. But let’s say Schauffele wins the first playoff event and Scheffler takes the second one. If that were the case, the Player of the Year would be the one who won the Fed Ex Cup.
Twenty years ago, this award had almost an automatic winner: Tiger Woods was POY 11 times in a 17-year period. If Scheffler were to win in 2024, that would give him three in a row and create more talk of elevating him to Woods’ status.
Who will win the honour this year has been the popular topic on various golf sites since Schauffele thrust himself into the conversation at Troon. One wise guy predicted the winner would be someone whose name started with ‘Sch’. Another said Bryson DeChambeau winning the other major title this year (the U.S. Open) prevented a ‘Grand Schlam.’
All joking aside, other than a bonus from their equipment companies for winning the POY, there is nothing at stake except the honour involved. For a while after the Open, the discussion was lively, and legitimate. But the gold medal in Paris probably clinched the third consecutive Player of the Year for Scheffler. Pretty hard to beat one major, one gold medal and five other titles, including the Players and Memorial.
Author and humorist Steve Burgess of Vancouver: “Wow. So far the Canadian women’s Olympic soccer team has defeated: New Zealand, France, Colombia, FIFA, and their own coaching staff.”
Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: “I just saw where the Lakers signed second-round pick Bronny James — who really shouldn't have even been drafted — to a multi-year guaranteed contract! And you wonder why Dan Hurley turned down the job?”
Headline at Canadian satirical website The Beaverton: “Olympic trampolinist scores extra points for resonant, high pitched ‘wheee!!!’”
Another beaverton.com offering: “Embarrassed FIFA announces that Canadians can only use their left feet during quarter-finals.”
Super 70s Sports: “Military experts later confirmed that Chuck Norris and Walter Payton together on the same boat was temporarily the world’s fourth-strongest navy.”
Vancouver comedy guy Torben Rolfsen: “LeBron James was the first NBA player to carry the Olympic flag for the U.S., just like he carried his son Bronny at the NBA draft last month.”
Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg: “The NFL Is finally going to stop measuring first downs with two poles and a chain. And they're going to stop counting the score by using a big rock for each point.”
From Bob Molinaro of pilotonline.com (Hampton, Va.): “Ukrainian fencer Olga Kharlan, after winning bronze in fencing, said ‘To all the athletes who could not be here because Russia killed them, I dedicate this to them.’”
Another one from Molinaro: “Aaron Rodgers won’t be satisfied until he gets his head coach fired.”
RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: “ This just in: Beverly Hills 90210, Edmonton Elks 11.”
Another one from Currie: “OHL and WHL junior hockey players are suing to be paid minimum wage. League representatives were quoted as saying: ‘Who do they think we are? The CFL?’”
Headline at fark.com: “Juan Pablo Montoya to race in the Cup Series at Watkins Glen. Jet dryer drivers seen updating their insurance policies.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca