Why Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler beat Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka in The Showdown
12/18/2024 06:00 AM
Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler dominated Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka in The Showdown because of one simple reason.
Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler dominated The Showdown in Las Vegas, giving the PGA Tour stars a big win over their LIV Golf counterparts, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Kopeka.
But you had a feeling that this result would materialize early on, especially after McIlroy and Scheffler won the first two holes outright.
The PGA Tour stars then closed out the match on the 16th hole, although the competition was never even that close. McIlroy and Scheffler won 10 holes combined, while Koepka and DeChambeau could only muster three.
You can attribute this result to one simple reason: a player's current form.
Scheffler overpowered an elite 20-man field at the Hero World Challenge less than 10 days ago, winning by six shots in the Bahamas. His play from tee to green was otherworldly once more, and his change to the 'Claw' grip on the greens paid dividends. Similar sentiments could be said about his play on Tuesday night at Shadow Creek, where he once again proved why he is the best player in the world.
McIlroy, meanwhile, won the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai last month, ending his tumultuous—albeit solid—year on a high note. He exuded confidence again on Tuesday and looks destined for a big 2025.
On the flip side, DeChambeau last competed at the LIV Golf Team Championships in September and has spent his time creating YouTube content since then. His viral hole-in-one challenge comes to mind. That's not a knock on him; that's just the reality—YouTube Golf differs significantly from tournament play, and DeChambeau's lack of form showed that.
Koepka's most recent pro start was at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October. That week, he tied for 10th, but his play on Tuesday came nowhere close to resembling that strong finish in Scotland.
The LIV Golf stars struggled mightily on the greens—especially DeChambeau, who could not get a putt to drop. Look no further than what happened at the par-5 4th hole, where DeChambeau missed a three-footer for an eagle. That short pull came immediately after McIlroy buried a 40-foot bomb of his own, which ramped up the pressure and, ultimately, won the match. It completely took the wind out of DeChambeau's and Koepka's sails, but they never had much momentum to begin with because neither had played competitively in quite some time.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation's Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.
