Scottie Scheffler won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson by eight shots to secure his first PGA Tour title of 2025 – and he did so with a record-breaking total of 31-under-par
Scottie Scheffler won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson(Image: Stacy Revere, Getty Images)
Scottie Scheffler handed Phil Mickelson a stark reminder of why he’s perched at the top of the world rankings by clinching the CJ Cup Byron Nelson title. Scheffler celebrated his first PGA Tour win of 2025 on Sunday, finishing an impressive 31-under-par and leaving the competition in the dust with an eight-shot lead.
Erik van Rooyen had to settle for second place on 23-under-par, while Jordan Spieth – eyeing the career Grand Slam at the upcoming PGA Championship – dazzled with a career-best round of 62 on Sunday. After a relatively subdued year, Scheffler will be thrilled to have won at TPC Craig Ranch, especially after Mickelson’s bold claim that he wouldn’t bag another PGA Tour win before September.
The 28-year old-was the man to beat in 2024, winning nine titles including the Masters, Players, Olympics, and Tour Championship. Due to Scheffler’s quiet start to 2025, some began to doubt his status as the world’s premier golfer – particularly with Rory McIlroy’s blistering beginning to the year and claiming victories at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Players, and Masters.
Mickelson, who stirred the pot with some curiously timed tweets ahead of LIV Golf’s event in South Korea, was one of those casting aspersions on Scheffler’s ranking – touting his LIV Golf colleague Joaquin Niemann as the true No. 1 player, reports the Mirror US.
“Top 5? Try #1,” Mickelson wrote on X back in March, before separately adding: “Here’s a hot take. Does Scottie win in 2025 before the Ryder Cup? I don’t think so.”
Since the start of 2024, Niemann has pocketed five LIV tournament wins but has found his Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) tumble to 83 due to the organisation not awarding ranking points for LIV competitions. The 26-year-old sensation from Chile, who boasts as many professional triumphs as Scheffler (18), is acknowledged as one of the top players on the global stage.
Still, it’s Scheffler who has delivered an unmatched performance over the past year and a half. His recent victory at TPC Craig Ranch serves as a potent showcase of his abilities right before the PGA Championship kicks off at Quail Hollow in North Carolina, barely 11 days away.
Phil Mickelson made an outrageous claim(Image: Getty Images)
Chomping at the bit for a PGA Championship title, Scheffler is vying to inch closer to a career Grand Slam of his own. With two Masters titles under his belt, there are three more major tournaments on deck this year.
In addition to the PGA Championship, the U. Open is set for Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania come June, and The Open Championship will be unfolding at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland in July. Overwhelmed with emotion, Scheffler revelled in his win on Sunday.
The event holds a special significance as it’s named after Byron Nelson, the icon who clinched five majors before passing away in 2006, and it’s staged close to Scheffler’s hometown of Dallas, Texas. An emotional Scheffler opened up to CBS Sports’ Amanda Balionis following his victory, saying: “This tournament means a lot to me.
“It’s my first start as a pro, 11 years ago, when I had my sister caddying for me – she’s back there too. It feels like a lifetime of hard work and sacrifice for little moments like these, and they’re pretty special.”
