Stephan Jaeger denies Scheffler’s third straight victory in Houston

Sunday was presupposed to be Scottie Scheffler’s day.

The winner of his final two begins on the PGA Tour got here to Texas Children’s Houston Open, in his house state, seeking to win three straight events for the primary time in seven years on the PGA Tour.

When he got here to the final gap, trailing by one, he did what he needed to. His method from 185 yards at Memorial Park’s 18th gap settled simply 5 ft from the opening.

Absolutely, the World No. 1 would convert the right-to-lefter to power a playoff with Stephan Jaeger?

However he didn’t. The putt dove low and by no means touched the opening. The bid for 3 in a row was over.

The miss meant Jaeger, who cleaned up a simple two-putt par moments earlier than Scheffler’s birdie attempt to put up 12 underneath after a final-round 67, ended up with the Houston Open title by one over 5 golfers, together with Scheffler.

“I knew that Scottie hit it shut on 18. I feel then I appeared on the leaderboard on 18 and figured, ‘Hey, I make this, it’s recreation over,’” Jaeger mentioned. “I hit a terrific putt, simply form of left it somewhat proper. Ended up successful the event, which is superior.

“I anticipated him to make it, and I’m not mad at him for lacking it.”

It’s the primary PGA Tour win for Jaeger, however he might need had probably the most “successful” expertise on the leaderboard outdoors of Scheffler and Tony Finau — who additionally completed T2. Jaeger has six profession victories on the Korn Ferry Tour, only one wanting Jason Gore’s document seven.

The win additionally continues what’s been an already profession begin to the season for the 34-year-old German. Jaeger already had tied his career-high in prime 10s with two earlier this season, ending T3 at each the Farmers Insurance coverage Open and the Mexico Open.

A part of his success might be attributed to Jaeger’s huge beneficial properties in distance since he joined the PGA Tour in 2017-18. He was one hundred and fifty fifth in driving distance simply two years in the past through the 2021-22 season and was within the prime 10 on the PGA Tour heading into this week with a 307.5-yard common. That has led to cracking the highest 100 within the Official World Golf Rating for the primary time this season.

His distance was on show via the ultimate spherical as he performed after Scheffler a number of instances on the again 9, together with on the decisive 18th gap.

The 2 began the day tied for the lead with three different golfers, and Jaeger had opened a one-shot lead thanks to creating a birdie on prime of Scheffler on the par-3 ninth.

However Jaeger didn’t make one other birdie the remainder of the day, as he made 9 straight pars on the ultimate 9.

That left the door open for Scheffler, and different chasers, a number of instances to attract even.

Alejandro Tosti caught Jaeger because of a clutch save on the diabolical par-3 fifteenth and birdie on the par-5 sixteenth. However the firey rookie’s bid for his first title fell when he did not bridie the drivable par-4 seventeenth and missed the inexperienced on the 18th and did not rise up and down.

Scheffler in the meantime bogeyed the fifteenth, his second straight day of struggles on the short par-3, however bought it again when he knocked it on in two at 16. His eagle attempt might have tied him with Jaeger and Tosti, nevertheless it didn’t scare the opening. Nor did his 11-foot birdie attempt on the seventeenth after he short-sided himself.

It felt like his method on the 18th would bail out the misses and he would inevitably prevail in a playoff for his third straight win and third in 4 weeks. However, simply two days after he three-putted from six feet on the same hole to end his second round, Scheffler missed and handed the title to Jaeger.

“I didn’t assume it was going to maneuver very a lot and I attempted to hit it straight and I really feel like I began proper within the center and appeared prefer it broke off fairly laborious, so only a misinterpret,” Scheffler mentioned.

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State College, incomes levels in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his highschool golf staff and just lately returned to this system to function head coach. Jack additionally nonetheless *tries* to stay aggressive in native amateurs. Earlier than becoming a member of GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but in addition producing, anchoring and even presenting the climate. He might be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.