Scheffler prepares for the Ryder Cup by winning the Procore Championship

NAPA — Scottie Scheffler understands our task as journalists, “I think y’all’s job is to try to find something to write about,” said Scheffler, “which is a good thing for me.”

Scottie is a very good thing for us, as well as for golf. He won another tournament Sunday, the Procore Championship at Silverado Country Club.

It was his sixth of the year, the 19th of his seemingly unstoppable career, but as he was told, the first in this state.

“I had no idea that I never won in California,” he said with a hint of humor and sarcasm. “I don’t think I’ve won in Oregon or Washington either—you know what I mean? I think your job is just to find something to write about.”

When Scheffler is involved, there is plenty. 

His victory Sunday was as narrow as possible when friend, Ben Griffin, missed a five-foot par putt on the 72nd hole. But as the cliché reminds us, it ain’t how, but how many.

Two shots behind Griffin at the start of the round, Scheffler came in with a 5-under par-67 that put him into a tie with Griffin. 

Griffin was on the green on two, 60 feet short of the cup on the 575-yard 18th, and a playoff seemed certain. But Griffin left his lag putt five feet short and missed the next one. So Scheffler, number one in the world, was the champion with a four-round total of 269. 

As he was earlier in the year at the PGA Championship and the British Open. 

Lanto Griffin, no relation to Ben, was third at 271.

Jackson Koivun, the Auburn sophomore, who’s number one in the world amateur rankings, was tied for fourth with Emiliano Grillo at 272.

The only reason Scheffler, Griffin—who was a recent captain’s pick for the US squad—and other members of the Ryder Cup team, who will play Europe in two weeks, were at the Procore was preparation for the Cup. But Scheffler looked at things a bit differently. 

“I’m present, I’m ready to play this week,” said Scheffler on Wednesday. “I didn’t show up to Napa to talk about the Ryder Cup for four days, I’m here to play a golf tournament.”

He played, and as usual played it beautifully.

“This was a week in which I was playing a new golf course,” said Scheffler, “a golf course that was pretty challenging to play for the first time. Did a really good job of staying in the tournament the first two days, and then the last two I played some really good golf in order to be in this position.”

A position he and the American team hope they’ll be in when the Ryder Cup concludes.