Scottie Scheffler pulls in a clutch putt to force a sudden-death Monday playoff with Viktor Hovland at Travelers

For most professional golfers, a five-month gap between PGA Tour victories doesn't qualify as a drought.

National No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, it's long enough to make people wonder if something is wrong.

The Travelers Championship made that idea look silly, even if Scheffler still has to wait until Monday morning to see if the drought ends.

Scheffler and Viktor Hovland finished tied at 21-under on Sunday at TPC River Highlands, setting up a rare Monday match at the Travelers Championship after weather and darkness prevented the tournament from being played before the end of the day.

The playoff is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. ET on the par-4 18th hole. The playoff format for the Travelers Championship is sudden death, meaning the player with the lowest score in the playoff hole wins. When Scheffler and Hovland tie a hole, they continue until one ends up breaking apart.

For Scheffler, it means the undefeated streak is not over.

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For Hovland, it meant another chance to take on the world's best golfer after denying Scheffler an exit during a tense, rain-delayed final round.

Scheffler entered the Travelers with just one win in 2026, which came back in January at American Express. Yes, “just one victory” is a lot of work in that sentence.

It's not like Scheffler has played badly this season. Actually, the opposite. The world number one has finished eight of five in his first 13 starts this season, including wins at The American Express and second-place finishes at the Masters, RBC Heritage and Cadillac Championship. He finished third in the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and also took fourth place in the US Open last week.

Now, you have another chance to turn the nearest fence into a trophy.

But he will have to sleep on it first.

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Scheffler started the final round of shooting behind Hovland after the first three days in Connecticut. He opened with a 64, nearly shot a record 59 on Friday before carding a 60, then posted a 67 on Saturday to leave him alone in second place, behind Hovland.

From there, it looks like Scheffler has a familiar script in front of him.

Scottie Scheffler of the United States addresses the crowd after making a birdie on the 10th green during the final round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, on June 28, 2026. (Jordan Bank/Getty Images)

The world's best golfer had 18 holes to hunt for another trophy.

Instead, Hovland made sure that the Traveler Championship would require more than 72 holes.

Scheffler, who rarely needs help from other players, got help early from Hovland. The Norwegian, who shot 18 on Saturday to post a 64 and lead Scheffler heading into the final round, bogeyed his first Sunday to move back into a tie with Scheffler.

Scheffler had a ho-hum front nine, making one birdie and one bogey for an even-par 35. Hovland dropped a shot off the front with a 36, ​​allowing a handful of players to get back into the tournament. Collin Morikawa shot a 61 in the final round, putting the clubhouse lead at 20-under a few hours before Scheffler and Hovland finished.

For a while, it looked like Morikawa might be the player Scheffler should beat.

Then Hovland made his move.

Scheffler birdied Nos. 10 and 13 to move to 21-under and take a one-shot lead over Morikawa's clubhouse number. Hovland, who also birdied No. 13, and US Open winner Wyndham Clark were still two behind, but Scheffler appeared to be in control of the tournament when heavy rain began to batter TPC River Highlands and forced a weather delay.

Scottie Scheffler of the United States watches from the 13th green during the final round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, on June 28, 2026. (Jordan Bank/Getty Images)

After a delay, Hovland completely reversed the momentum.

He hit No. 14 to pull within one, then added another birdie on No. 15 to take the lead. Suddenly, Scheffler could no longer go for his 21st PGA Tour victory. He was trying to survive the late Hovland trial.

Scheffler had his chance to regain control, but his birdie putt on No. 17 went out of the cup, leaving two players tied heading into the 72nd hole.

Both players hit solid shots on No. 18, but Scheffler found himself a little further back than Hovland. The American gave it too much speed, sent it well past the hole and left himself 8 1/2 feet back for par.

It wouldn't have mattered if Hovland drained his 25-foot birdie putt, but it just missed the hole at the end. That meant Scheffler would need to make his putt to send a pair into the playoff.

Is there any hesitation after that? Scheffler drained the putt, gave an enthusiastic fist pump, and shook Hovland's hand as the two nearly exchanged “See you tomorrow.”

It will be the first PGA Tour Monday playoff since Rory McIlroy defeated JJ Spaun in a three-hole playoff at the 2025 Players Championship last March. This will be very easy. Scheffler and Hovland will return to the 18th hole Monday morning, and the first player to win the playoff hole wins the tournament.

For Scheffler, a situation is normal in one way and abnormal in another.

You have come here to Bahambi. In 2024, Scheffler defeated his friend Tom Kim in a playoff for his first victory at TPC River Highlands. It only took one hole for Scheffler to beat Kim.

It was a friendly course for Scheffler after a rough start. After missing the cut in his first trip to Connecticut in 2020 and finishing 47th in 2021, he turned the event into one of his best on Tour.

Scheffler finished 13th in 2022, fourth in 2023, won in 2024, finished sixth last year and now has a chance to win again in 2026.

It's very good.

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However, the drought continues technically.

That's the weird thing about Scheffler right now.

His dry spells would be everyone's best jobs. He keeps moving up the leaderboards, keeps piling up top-five finishes and continues to make deep Sunday runs in golf's major events.

But when the bar is this high, closing is not enough.

Scheffler arrived at TPC River Highlands looking like he was ready to end any talk of thirst before it got too loud. Instead, Hovland pulled him over until Monday.

Now, another hole, or perhaps several, will determine whether Scheffler's drought finally ends or extends to another week.

Either way, the larger point is very clear.

Win or lose Monday, there is nothing wrong with Scottie Scheffler.