Scheffler outlasts protest on 18th green, Tom Kim to win Travelers for 6th victory of year

After a five-minute delay when six individuals stormed the 18th inexperienced and sprayed it with crimson and white powder, Scheffler left a 26-foot putt from the perimeter on the sting of the cup and tapped in for par. That gave him a 5-under 65 and a four-day whole of 22-under 258 at TPC River Highlands.

Kim then made a 10-foot birdie putt for a 66 to match Scheffler.

The opening location on the 18th was moved for the playoff to keep away from the elements of the inexperienced affected by the protesters, at the very least one in every of whom was sporting a white T-shirt with the phrases “NO GOLF ON A DEAD PLANET” in black lettering.

Scheffler hit his strategy within the playoff to 11 toes whereas Kim discovered a plugged lie in a greenside bunker. Kim’s blast from the fried-egg lie ran 36 toes previous the opening, leaving Scheffler with a simple two-putt par for the victory.

Coming off a tie for forty first within the U.S. Open — by far his worst end of the yr — Scheffler trailed Kim by three strokes after the primary spherical, by two after the second spherical and by one heading to the tee on Sunday.

Scheffler took a one-stroke lead over Kim with three straight birdies on Nos. 13-15 — he had putts for eagle on two of them. Whereas Tom Hoge signed for a 62 to complete at 20 beneath, and Sungjae Im joined him there, Scheffler and Kim matched pars over the subsequent two holes to arrange the stunning end.

Scheffler and Kim share a June 21 birthday — Scheffler is six years older — they usually celebrated with New Haven pizza earlier than the event about 30 miles north. The birthday buddies and Dallas-area residents performed collectively within the closing group on Sunday, chatting and joking collectively.

However solely one in every of them may maintain the trophy on the finish.

And similar to it’s been so usually of late, it was Scheffler.

Adam Svensson (68) of Surrey, B.C., completed the event at 14 beneath to tie for sixteenth. He’s projected to maneuver 12 spots up the FedEx Cup standings to 76th when they’re up to date on Monday.

Taylor Pendrith (69) of Richmond Hill, Ont., tied for twenty third and can probably transfer one spot up the FedEx Cup standings to as soon as once more turn out to be the best ranked Canadian on the PGA Tour this season.

Corey Conners (66) of Listowel, Ont., and Adam Hadwin (67) of Abbotsford, B.C., tied for twenty seventh at 11 beneath, a shot behind Pendrith. Mackenzie Hughes (65) of Dundas, Ont., tied for thirty sixth and Nick Taylor (67) of Abbotsford was tied for forty second.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Jimmy Golen, The Related Press