Scheffler warms up for Ryder Cup with sixth Tour win

Scottie Scheffler has looked every bit the world's No.1 player, closing with a 5-under 67 to win the Procore Championship for his sixth PGA Tour victory of the year.

Scheffler made up two-shots on Ryder Cup teammate Ben Griffin, who was poised to force a play-off until he three-putted the par-5 18th to finish one behind.

Griffin, who started the final round with three straight birdies, shot a 70. He had a birdie putt on the 18th that caught the left edge and spun away. It was the second time this year he has finished runner-up to the world's No.1.

Scheffler was one of the players who earlier in the year targeted the Procore Championship as a good spot for the Ryder Cup team to play so they could avoid the mistake of two years ago when all but two of them had a month off before the Rome matches.

But once the tournament started on Silverado Resort's north course at Napa, Scheffler was all about winning.

"I know I was going to have to have another good day," he said. "I'm fortunate to be the winner this week."

It was his 19th career victory on the PGA Tour, and now he heads to match play in the Ryder Cup against Europe, which has had the upper hand in these matches the last three decades.

Lanto Griffin had as much pressure as anyone, coming into the fall portion of the schedule at No.142 in the FedEx Cup in the first year of only 100 players keeping full cards.

He delivered a 65 to finish alone in third, his best in nearly four years. That moved him up to No.100 in the standings with two months and at least five tournaments to go.

"It's huge," Griffin said. "One of my goals this week was to give myself a chance. ... I kind of wish Scottie wasn't here, but I'm sure the fans enjoyed it."

Scheffler started two shots behind and fell as many as four shots back early before pecking away with four birdies on the opening 10 holes.

After a careless three-putt bogey from on the 11th, he answered with two birdies on the par 5s to take the lead when Griffin struggled to get anything going.

But Griffin, who has two official PGA Tour titles in this breakthrough season, had his chances.

He holed a birdie putt on the par-5 15th and burned the edge with two long birdie putts on the next two holes. He was on the edge of the green, 60 feet away for an eagle putt, two putts needed for a play-off, and couldn't get it done.

Auburn junior Jackson Koivun, the No.1 amateur in the world who played in the final group, was two shots behind with seven holes to play when he took a soft bogey on the par-5 12th and then bogeyed the 13th when he went long of the green.

Koivun closed with a 71 and tied for fourth with Emiliano Grillo (66).

The tournament had its strongest field with the all but two players from the US Ryder Cup team playing ahead of the September 26-28 matches at Bethpage Black.

US captain Keegan Bradley was at Silverado through Friday, and the PGA of America rented a mansion for them to meet during the week, a Ryder Cup team room amidst the vineyards.

Scheffler, Griffin, US Open champion J.J. Spaun (66) and Cameron Young (67), all finished in the top 10. Sam Burns, who holed out from the 18th fairway for eagle for a 67, and Russell Henley (72) finished in the top 20.