Scottie Scheffler sent a clear message to Team Europe on Sunday with a dramatic victory at the Procore Championship, just hours after Rory McIlroy’s Ryder Cup warning.
The world No. 1 trailed Ryder Cup teammate Ben Griffin by two shots heading into the final round at Silverado Resort, but a composed five-under-par finish saw him snatch the title by a single stroke.
It was the ideal tune-up for Scheffler in his last tournament before the Ryder Cup begins at Bethpage Black later this month. The American star admitted to feeling rusty after three weeks away from competitive play, but quickly rediscovered his rhythm to claim his latest win. The timing could not have been better, coming just days after McIlroy lit a fire under Europe with an inspired performance at Wentworth.
“Overall, it was a good prep week getting ready for the Ryder Cup,” Scheffler said. “It was nice to see some of my teammates on the leaderboard. Ben and I had a good battle today. I always focus as much as I can on preparation, that’s what gives me confidence, and I feel ready for Bethpage. We’re all excited to get going.”
Scheffler also highlighted the value of spending time with his U.S. teammates.
“It was nice to get all the guys together. We had fun early in the week during practice rounds, and once the tournament started, it was business as usual. But overall, it was a great week — we could hang out and stay sharp.”
Meanwhile, McIlroy is also gathering momentum. The four-time major winner signed off from the BMW PGA Championship with a stunning seven-under-par round for a T20 finish, declaring that Europe is firmly shifting into Ryder Cup mode.
Luke Donald’s European squad flew to New York straight after the action at Wentworth, with three days to prepare before golf’s biggest team event tees off on September 26.
Both sides now appear in strong form, setting the stage for a thrilling showdown at Bethpage as Team USA looks to reclaim the trophy and Europe aims to defend its crown from Rome two years ago.
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