PGA Championship: Scottie Scheffler’s runner-up finish moves him back to No. 1 in the world

Scottie Scheffler’s push at Oak Hill Country Club came up just short Sunday afternoon.

While he didn’t get to lift the Wanamaker Trophy, he did enough to reclaim the top spot in the world rankings.

Scheffler, who got to 7-under on the week after posting a final-round 65, overtook Jon Rahm again to get to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings — though he didn’t seem too excited about it Sunday.

“That's great,” he said before laughing. “I mean, it's just an algorithm. It's nice, but I really don't care.”

Scheffler has been in a battle with Rahm for the top spot all year. Scheffler, who ended last season at No. 1, lost it at The CJ Cup in October. While he reclaimed it after his win at the WM Phoenix Open in February, the top ranking changed hands the very next week. Scheffler got it back from Rahm after winning The Players Championship earlier this spring, but then Rahm pulled ahead again with his win at the Masters.

Scheffler started Sunday’s final round four shots behind eventual winner Brooks Koepka. He would have been closer, but he stumbled with a 3-over 73 on Saturday.

He responded with his low round of the tournament, a 5-under 65 on Sunday, and tied with Viktor Hovland for second. Scheffler made four birdies on his back nine, and felt like he left at least two strokes out there. He had a tough lip-out at the first that could have been a sixth birdie, and then barely missed a par save at the ninth.

Those, he said, were “two of the worst lip-outs” he’s ever seen.

“Outside of that I played solid golf most of the week,” Scheffler said. “In order to win these tournaments, the putts have to fall in to win the tournaments. I hit a lot of good putts this week. They didn't fall, but I put up a good fight. I played great today.

“I gave the guys on top of the leaderboard something to think about, and I kind of made a little bit of a move, but Brooks just played some fantastic golf this week. He played too good this weekend for me to catch up to him.”

As for his return to No. 1 in the world, Scheffler probably isn’t going to last there long. Rahm is sure to be in position to reclaim it by the time the U.S. Open comes around next month.

All Scheffler says he cares about now is the fact that he came up short.

“I don't play for world ranking. I play to come out here and compete,” Scheffler said. “Right now I'm a little sad that I wasn't able to get the tournament done, but I'm proud of how I fought, I'm proud of how I played the back nine today to give myself a chance.

“I got beat by somebody that played better this week, and tip of the cap to Brooks. Yeah, it's just how it goes.”