Supreme Scottie Scheffler equals PGA Tour record to claim first title of the year

Scottie Scheffler equalled the PGA Tour’s lowest 72-hole total as he eased to an eight-stroke victory at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson tournament.

The world No 1, who set the pace throughout after an opening 61, closed with a 63 to finish on 31-under-par 253 – matching the record held by Justin Thomas and Ludvig Aberg.

He was on course to beat the record, but bogeyed the 17th hole after a poor chip and missed an eight-foot birdie putt at the last.

Scheffler had five birdies and an eagle on his front nine as his lead never got below six shots during the final round.

The cushion finished as it started at eight with South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen also shooting a 63 to be the only player within 10 shots.

Fellow American Sam Stevens was three strokes back in third with Jordan Spieth jumping through the field to fourth as he fired nine birdies in a closing 62.

Scheffler won nine times last season, but had yet to add to that tally in 2025 after missing the start of the season due to surgery on a hand injury suffered while preparing Christmas dinner.

open image in gallery

But after a tie for second in the Houston Open, followed by fourth place at Augusta National in defence of his Masters title, he ended that run in emphatic fashion at the event where he made his PGA Tour debut as a 17-year-old amateur in 2014.

“This tournament means a lot to me,” Scheffler, who comes from nearby Dallas, told CBS. “It was my first tournament 11 years ago, I had my sister caddying for me.

“It feels like a lifetime of hard work and sacrifice for little moments like these, and they are pretty special.”

PA