Scottie Scheffler outlasts protest on 18th green, Tom Kim to win Travelers for 6th victory of year

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler needed to wait out a local weather protest on the 18th inexperienced and Tom Kim’s tying birdie on the final gap of regulation.

These occasions solely delayed what appears to be inevitable on the PGA Tour this season: one of the best golfer on this planet strolling off with the trophy.

Shrugging off a protest that interrupted the event on the 72nd gap whereas the leaders had been lining up their putts, Scheffler gained the Vacationers Championship on the primary gap of sudden dying on Sunday for his sixth win of the yr, probably the most in a single season on the PGA Tour since Tiger Woods had six in 2009.

“When one thing like that occurs, you don’t actually know what’s occurring, So it could form of rattle you a bit bit,” Scheffler stated.

“That may be a traumatic state of affairs, and you’d hate for the event to finish on one thing bizarre occurring due to a state of affairs like that,” he stated. “Tom and I each tried to calm one another down so we may give it our greatest shot there on 18.”

Scheffler closed with a 5-under 65 and a 22-under 258 whole on the TPC River Highlands, and Kim matched him with a final-round 66.

Tom Hoge and Sungjae Im tied for third, two pictures again, with Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Justin Thomas and Akshay Bhatia tied for fifth at 18 beneath. Bhatia was additionally within the closing group that was disrupted by the protest.

“I used to be scared for my life,” he stated. “I didn’t even actually know what was occurring. … However fortunately the cops had been there and stored us secure, as a result of that’s, you understand, that’s simply bizarre stuff.”

It was Scheffler’s fourth victory of the yr within the tour’s $20 million, limited-field signature occasions, incomes him a payday of $3.6 million. He additionally gained the Masters and The Gamers Championship.

And Scheffler nonetheless has two months to go.

“As a lot as I really like him, I might have liked to take that away from him,” stated Kim, who shares a birthday and a friendship with Scheffler. “However I’m completely satisfied for him, and after I tapped out, after he tapped out, he stated some very nice phrases and it meant so much to me.”

Scheffler had a one-stroke lead heading to the 18th inexperienced on Sunday when six folks stormed the course, waving smoke bombs that left a crimson and white powdery residue on the placing floor. Some wore white T-shirts with the phrases “NO GOLF ON A DEAD PLANET” in black lettering.

They had been tackled by police and brought off.

The activist group Extinction Revolt, which has a historical past of disrupting occasions around the globe, claimed accountability for the protest. In a press release emailed to The Related Press, the group blamed local weather change for {an electrical} storm that injured two folks at a house close to the course on Saturday.

After a delay of about 5 minutes, when event officers used towels and blowers to take away the powder and some other marks that may have an effect on play, Scheffler left a 26-foot putt from the perimeter on the sting of the cup and tapped in for par.

Kim then made a 10-foot birdie putt for a 66 to match Scheffler.

“Clearly it’s a disruption and also you don’t need it to occur, however for me it simply form of slowed issues down,” Kim stated. “It took the that means of the putt away for a second. As a result of for the previous 17 and a half holes all you’re eager about is golf, and instantly when that occurs your thoughts goes into a whole — like, you’re nearly not even enjoying golf anymore. I assumed it was a dream for a second.”

The opening location on the 18th was moved for the playoff to keep away from the components of the inexperienced affected by the protesters.

Scheffler hit his approach in the playoff to 11 feet whereas Kim discovered a greenside bunker. Kim’s blast from a plugged lie ran 36 toes previous the opening, leaving Scheffler with a simple two-putt par for the victory. Afterward, his spouse, Meredith, met him on the inexperienced, carrying their 6-week-old son, Bennett.

“It’s enjoyable competing towards your pals,” Scheffler stated. “However on the similar time, it’s tough. As a result of a part of me needs him to overlook the putt and a part of me needs him to make the putt. … However he ought to keep in mind that putt he made on 18, as a result of it was fairly particular. And he’s an excellent participant and an excellent champion.”

Coming off a tie for forty first within the U.S. Open – by far his worst end of the yr — Scheffler trailed Kim by three strokes after the primary spherical, by two after the second spherical and by one heading to the tee on Sunday.

Scheffler took a one-shot lead over Kim with three straight birdies on Nos. 13-15 — he had putts for eagle on two of them. Whereas Hoge signed for a 62 to complete at 20 beneath, and Im joined him there, Scheffler and Kim matched pars over the following two holes to arrange the shocking end.

Scheffler and Kim share a June 21 birthday — Scheffler is six years older — they usually celebrated with New Haven pizza earlier than the event about 30 miles north. The Dallas-area residents performed collectively within the closing group on Sunday, chatting and joking round.

However solely one in all them may maintain the trophy on the finish.

And identical to it’s been so usually, it was Scheffler.

Kim stated being in a pack of leaders along with his birthday buddy allowed him to give attention to his personal sport.

“You don’t want to fret about him, as a result of he’s going to play properly,” Kim stated. “Clearly he’s an exceptional participant, world No. 1, all these titles. However on the similar time for me he’s simply Scottie Scheffler, he’s only a good good friend.

“To return down with somebody that I play lots of golf with, who beats me so much at residence — and, sadly, he beat me within the playoff too,” Kim stated. “However it undoubtedly made it much more gratifying on the market.”

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf