The PGA Tour swings into Texas for the Charles Schwab Challenge. From tomorrow until Sunday, May 26th, at Fort Worth, in the 24th event of the regular season, a purse of $9,100,000 will be up for grabs, with $1,638,000 earmarked for the winner. On the greens, 66 players who competed in the PGA Championship, the second Major of the 2024 season won by Californian Xander Schauffele, will also be in attendance. Among them are six of the top ten finishers from the tournament, led by world number one, American Scottie Scheffler.
Scottie Scheffler, schedule
Scheffler, who finished second in this event in 2022 and third in 2023, will be the man to beat at the Colonial Country Club. Argentinian Emiliano Grillo will be defending his title, having defeated Adam Schenk in a playoff in 2023. In addition to the coveted tartan jacket, this year’s winner will receive a vintage car as a prize, a 1975 Schwab Stingray of significant value.
The field boasts several champions. Alongside Scheffler, players like Collin Morikawa, Justin Rose (champion in 2018), Jordan Spieth (victorious in 2016, playing on home turf as a Texan), Max Homa, and Billy Horschel will be vying for the title.
Scottie Scheffler, the rising star of golf, was born on June 21, 1996, in Ridgewood, New Jersey. His roots extend to Englewood Cliffs, where his father, Scott, attended St. Cecilia High School, while his mother, Diane, hails from Park Ridge. Scheffler, the only son among four siblings, grew up alongside his sisters Callie, Molly, and Sara. The family initially resided in Montvale, New Jersey, until relocating to Dallas, Texas, following the events of September 11, 2001. While his father took on the role of a stay-at-home dad, his mother pursued a career as the chief operating officer at the law firm Thompson & Knight.
Scheffler’s journey into golf commenced at the tender age of three when his parents bestowed upon him a set of plastic clubs and a ball. Upon settling in Dallas, he received professional guidance at the Royal Oaks Golf Club under the mentorship of Randy Smith, renowned for coaching Justin Leonard to victory at The Open Championship in 1997. Despite facing back injuries during his high school years due to a significant growth spurt, Scheffler excelled in both golf and basketball at Highland Park High School in University Park, Dallas. Achieving individual state titles for three consecutive years (2012 to 2014), he matched the record set by Texan golf prodigy Jordan Spieth. Additionally, Scheffler clinched victory at the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur and held the esteemed position of the top-ranked junior golfer in the nation in 2014.
Scheffler’s prodigious talent earned him a spot in the PGA Tour debut at the HP Byron Nelson Championship in May 2014, where, as a 17-year-old amateur, he made the cut with his sister Callie serving as his caddy. Despite being ineligible for the monetary prize due to his amateur status, Scheffler’s performance was noteworthy, finishing tied for 22nd place with a remarkable hole-in-one in the third round.
The University of Texas recruited Scheffler for collegiate golf from 2014 to 2018, where he contributed to three Big 12 championships and earned the title of “Phil Mickelson Freshman of the Year” in 2015. Graduating with a bachelor’s degree in finance in 2018, Scheffler also represented the U.S. team in the victorious 2017 Walker Cup campaign.
Scheffler’s journey continued with notable appearances in prestigious tournaments, including qualifying for the U.S. Open in 2016 and 2017. Despite narrowly missing the cut in his debut year, he impressed as the low amateur in the following edition, finishing one stroke ahead of his counterpart Cameron Champ.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login