Watch: World No.1 Scottie Scheffler Hits Shank At Tour Championship
Scheffler had his march towards the title checked by an uncharacteristic error from a bunker in the final round of the East Lake tournament


For the majority of the Tour Championship, it has been business as usual for World No.1 Scottie Scheffler as he turned a two-shot advantage at the start of the FedEx Cup Playoffs finale into a five-shot lead with one round to play.
The American is aiming for his maiden FedEx Cup title, and if he achieves it and takes the $25m first prize, it will cap an incredible season that has included seven other victories worldwide.
Scheffler’s form has been so good throughout 2024 that it can be easy to forget that he is still capable of the occasional mishap, and one of his rare mistakes came at a crucial point at the East Lake tournament.
Scheffler had opened up a seven-shot lead over the front nine of the final round, but a bogey on the seventh stymied his apparently relentless march to the title, and on the very next hole, he found himself in a bunker around 80 feet from the pin.
Such a scenario is ordinarily no problem for Scheffler, but on this occasion he shanked his effort, missing the green to the right to leave him work to do to avoid his third bogey of the round. Unfortunately for Scheffler, he couldn’t recover the situation and he did indeed finish with a costly five on the 324-yard par-4.
No one is immune to the shank. Not even Scottie Scheffler. pic.twitter.com/RVlQfZyzjGSeptember 1, 2024
Even more concerning for Scheffler would have been the consistency of his closest rival on the leaderboard, Collin Morikawa, who birdied the hole to reduce the gap to just two shots with plenty of golf still to play.
That would have briefly given Morikawa hope that it could yet be him who lifts the trophy for the first time, but, perhaps inevitably, Scheffler closed the door no sooner than he had left it ajar. He followed his slip-up on the eighth with three successive birdies between the ninth and 11th to repair the damage and restore his five-shot advantage.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
Scheffler recovered well from his shanked bunker shot on the eighth
For all Scheffler’s brilliance in 2024 there have been other uncharacteristic errors along the way. He suffered a similar shank from a bunker in April at the RBC Heritage, while in July, he topped a tee shot at The Open.
Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories.
He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game.
Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course.
Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.
-
The World's Best Driver Uses This Model, And It Is Heavily Discounted During Amazon's Big Spring Sale
The Amazon's Big Spring Sale has meant this popular TaylorMade driver has seen a big discount that is sure to be snapped up quickly
By Sam Tremlett Published
-
'Have Fun, Put Your Hat On Backwards. I’ve Never Been Into Traditional Style Anything' – Country Music Star Bailey Zimmerman On His Golf Addiction, Enjoying LIV's Vibe And John Daly Calling Him 'Son'
The young country star went to a party at Top Golf a few years ago - and now he's hooked on the game
By Michael Weston Published
-
‘I Lost My Cool And It’s Unacceptable’ - Patton Kizzire Sorry For Valspar Championship Putter Kick
The three-time PGA Tour winner has apologized for his actions at the Valspar Championship, with Kizzire claiming 'I'm looking forward to being a better version of myself'
By Matt Cradock Published
-
Texas Children's Houston Open Payout 2025
There's a big prize money payout on offer at this week's Houston Open, with seven-figure checks going to the top two finishers at Memorial Park
By Elliott Heath Published
-
Billy Horschel Makes Birdie Of The Year After Left-Handed Shot At Valspar Championship
The 38-year-old produced a jaw-dropping left-handed approach shot in the final round at Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead Course
By Mike Hall Published
-
'Stupid, Stupid Game' - Viktor Hovland Completes Stunning Finish To Beat Justin Thomas At Valspar Championship
Viktor Hovland birdied the 16th and 17th to claim a one stroke victory over Justin Thomas in an epic final day at Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead Course
By Matt Cradock Last updated
-
Valspar Championship Tee Times - Round Four
There’s a three-way tie for the lead ahead of the final round of the Valspar Championship, with Viktor Hovland looking for his first win since 2023
By Mike Hall Published
-
Watch: Sam Ryder Becomes Second Player To Make Ace At 2025 Valspar Championship With Slam Dunk Hole-In-One
The 35-year-old delighted fans with his brilliant effort towards the end of his third round at Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead Course
By Mike Hall Published
-
Adam Hadwin Breaks Sprinkler During Valspar Championship And Faces Immediate Consequences
The Canadian suffered a rather embarrassing moment at the Valspar Championship on Friday, with Hadwin breaking a sprinkler head after striking it with his club
By Matt Cradock Published
-
6 Big Names Playing In The Texas Children’s Houston Open
Some of the biggest names in the game are playing in the Memorial Park Golf Course tournament – here are the details
By Mike Hall Published