PGA Championship 2022: Follow Scottie Scheffler's Major Pursuit as a New Father
Join Scottie Scheffler in his quest for a major victory at the 2022 PGA Championship following the recent addition to his family. The new dad aims to add another prestigious title to his collection at the upcoming championship event.
New dad Scottie Scheffler, who welcomed a new addition to his family last week, is gearing up to add another trophy to his collection at the 106th PGA Championship starting on Thursday.
As the current world No. 1, Scheffler is the clear favorite for the upcoming major tournament at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. After his impressive win at the Masters last month, he is aiming to secure another victory and continue his dominance in the sport.
Rory McIlroy, who is in good form, will be confident in his ability to stop Scheffler's impressive progress. Meanwhile, Brooks Koepka, the current champion, is aiming for his fourth Wanamaker Trophy, which would put him just one win away from matching the all-time record held by Walter Hagen and Jack Nicklaus.
On the other hand, Jordan Spieth is striving to achieve an even more prestigious feat. If he wins on Sunday, he will join a very exclusive group of golfers as only the sixth player in the modern era to complete the career grand slam by winning all four major championships.
Tiger Woods is among that legendary group and will be hoping to build on a history-making Masters outing that saw him make the cut at Augusta National for the 24th consecutive time.
How to watch
Viewers in the US can watch the first two rounds on ESPN starting at 11 a.m. ET. ESPN will also broadcast the weekend's events starting at 10 a.m. before switching coverage to CBS at 1 p.m.
In the UK, We Golf will be airing the tournament, with fans able to watch from 1 p.m. BST on Thursday and Friday, and from 2 p.m. for the final rounds of the weekend.
For more information on how to watch, check The PGA Championship website here.
New Dad Scheffler living the dream
If you can outperform Scheffler's performance in 2024, then you must be having an amazing year.
The 27-year-old seems to be on fire right now, with a recent win at the RBC Heritage following his second green jacket win at Augusta. This victory marks his fourth win in just five starts.
Yet his greatest prize was still to come. Scheffler took a break from competing to support his wife Meredith, who recently had their first child, Bennett.
"I'm relieved that she was the one going through it and not me because I'm not sure if I could have handled it. It was quite overwhelming," Scheffler shared with the media on Thursday.
I was extremely proud of her when I saw the look on her face right after giving birth. She was glowing with pride and excitement to have our little boy.
Sitting at home with the girl I dated in high school and our child, and then seeing the Green Jacket sitting in the closet, was a pretty incredible feeling. I just wanted to express my gratitude as much as possible.
Scottie Scheffler shared on Instagram. Despite the lack of sleep and new responsibilities like changing diapers, Scheffler is not worried about being unprepared for his upcoming third career major. However, he acknowledges that there may be some challenges to overcome this week.
Assuming he qualifies, Scott's regular caddie Ted Scott will miss Saturday's third round to be present at his daughter's high school graduation. In his place, PGA Tour chaplain Brad Payne, a longtime friend, will step in to carry the bag for the day.
"Teddy will be heading home on Friday night and will return on Saturday evening after the graduation. I'm sure there will be a small celebration afterwards," Scheffler mentioned.
Woods optimistic he can weather Valhalla
From the start of our relationship, we always agreed that family comes first. This principle applies to both me and my caddie, making decisions pretty straightforward.
There are not many people who can understand Scheffler's situation, but Woods certainly can.
Woods was ranked as the world's top golfer and had won 14 major championships when his son Charlie was born. Now, fifteen years later, he is offering his top tips for juggling parenting responsibilities with playing on the PGA Tour.
“Get some sleep,” Woods said with a smile on Thursday.
“All of us who have had children, those are some tough years and ahead of them. Try and get some rest as much as you possibly can.
“He’s the No. 1 player in the world, and having a great, stable family life at home is important to having a great life out here on Tour.”
Woods gets in some practice at Valhalla.
Woods gets in some practice at Valhalla.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Teeing up at his 23rd PGA Championship, Woods is chasing a record-equaling fifth win at the tournament.
Y.E. Yang of South Korea after sinking his putt to win August 16 ,2009 at the 91st PGA Championship at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota. At right is Tiger Woods of the US . AFP PHOTO / ROBYN BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
Y.E. Yang, a golfer from South Korea, won the 91st PGA Championship on August 16, 2009 at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota. He sank his final putt to secure the victory. On the right side of the photo, you can see Tiger Woods from the US. The image was captured by AFP photographer Robyn Beck. (Photo credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
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The 48-year-old is confident that he can win his 16th major, despite his history of injuries. He has previous success at Valhalla, where he won his second Wanamaker Trophy in 2000 after a playoff victory over Bob May.
Even though he had a disappointing finish recently, Woods showed at Augusta that he can still handle the physical demands of the game, even with limited event appearances.
"My body feels fine," Woods mentioned on Thursday.
"I do wish my performance on the golf course was better. Since I haven't been able to compete much lately, I have to rely on practicing at home or here at the event venue."
Spieth is on the verge of achieving golf immortality. He acknowledges the challenge of playing on a big golf course where getting into the rough can be painful. However, he remains optimistic that by driving well and executing the necessary steps, he can replicate his success from 24 years ago.
Rory McIlroy, currently ranked as the world No. 2, is in great form as he recently won the Wells Fargo Championship for the second time in a row.
He is aiming to secure his fifth major victory, which would end a 10-year drought since his last major win at the 2014 PGA Championship where he defeated Phil Mickelson by one stroke at Valhalla.
McIlroy recently missed his chance to complete the career grand slam at the Masters. This opens the door for Spieth to potentially achieve this milestone with a win this week. The only players who have accomplished this feat before are Woods, Nicklaus, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, and Gary Player.
Spieth is a PGA Championship away from a legendary accomplishment.
Spieth is a PGA Championship away from a legendary accomplishment.
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Spieth, who last won a major in 2017, expressed his excitement about the possibility of pursuing all majors, regardless of their origin.
He highlighted the uniqueness and historical significance of holding all four major titles in the game of golf, emphasizing the lasting impact such an achievement can have.
Despite his impressive background, the Texan golfer ranked 24th in the world has been having a tough time performing well recently. He failed to make the cut in four out of his 12 PGA Tour appearances this year, including at The Masters.
Even the defending champion, Koepka, faced challenges at Augusta. He finished in 45th place, tying with fellow LIV Golf player and usual major contender Jon Rahm.
Editor's P/S:
The 106th PGA Championship promises an enthralling spectacle, with the world's top golfers vying for glory. Scottie Scheffler, the reigning Masters champion and current world No. 1, is the tournament favorite, but faces stiff competition from the likes of Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, and Jordan Spieth. Scheffler's recent addition to his family has brought a new dimension to his life, but he remains focused on continuing his winning streak.
The tournament also marks a significant milestone for Tiger Woods, who is seeking his fifth PGA Championship victory. Woods, now 48, has faced numerous injuries in recent years, but his performance at the Masters suggests he is still a force to be reckoned with. The PGA Championship will be a test of his physical endurance and mental fortitude, as he aims to add to his already legendary status in the sport.
