For most professional golfers, a five-month gap between victories on the PGA Tour is typical. However, for world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, this duration has sparked concerns about his performance. The Travelers Championship has challenged these doubts, although Scheffler still waits for Monday to see if his winless streak will end.
Scheffler and Viktor Hovland tied at 21-under at TPC River Highlands, leading to a Monday playoff due to weather and darkness interruptions. The playoff will commence at 9 a.m. ET on the par-4 18th hole. This sudden-death format means the player with the lower score on any playoff hole secures victory. If tied, they will continue until a winner emerges.
For Scheffler, the winless streak is unresolved. Meanwhile, Hovland eyes an opportunity to defeat the top golfer globally after staying competitive during the rain-delayed final round.
Entering the Travelers Championship, Scheffler had achieved one victory in 2026, back in January at The American Express. Despite only one win, Scheffler’s performance has been strong, marked by eight top-five finishes in 13 events, including his win at The American Express and second places at the Masters, RBC Heritage, and the Cadillac Championship. Most recently, third at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and fourth at the U.S. Open further demonstrated his skill.
Scheffler commenced the final round trailing Hovland by one shot after vibrant initial rounds in Connecticut. He opened with a 64, narrowly missed scoring 59 on Friday, achieving 60, and posted 67 on Saturday, securing second place. On Sunday, Hovland, who had taken the lead by one shot with a birdie at No. 18, bogeyed the first hole. This tied him with Scheffler.
While Scheffler maintained an average front nine with one birdie and one bogey, Hovland’s 36 allowed other competitors back into the tournament. Collin Morikawa’s final round 61 brought him temporarily into contention at 20-under. Scheffler’s birdies at Nos. 10 and 13 extended his lead to 21-under, making Morikawa’s efforts seem short-lived.
Heavy rain led to a delay, disrupting Scheffler’s momentum. After the delay, Hovland swiftly birdied Nos. 14 and 15, pulling into a tie with Scheffler. On No. 17, Scheffler missed a birdie putt, leaving them tied going into the final hole.
On No. 18, Scheffler’s shot placed him farther from the hole than Hovland. Hovland missed a birdie opportunity, while Scheffler drained his crucial par putt, extending the match to a playoff.
The upcoming playoff, a sudden-death format, marks the first Monday playoff on the PGA Tour since the 2025 Players Championship. Scheffler’s experience at the Travelers is noteworthy, having previously won in a playoff in 2024 against Tom Kim.
This course, initially challenging for Scheffler, has become a strong point in his career. Despite this, Scheffler’s requirement for consistent success establishes unrealistically high expectations. Yet, the question of a dry spell remains inconsequential.
Whether Scheffler emerges victorious or not, his capability as a golfer remains unparalleled.
Reporter Dan Zaksheske provides coverage on these developments for OutKick.
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