CNN
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Scottie Scheffler is tired. After the year he’s had, can anyone really blame him?

The world No. 1 capped a year that was both historic and hectic with a victory at the season-ending Tour Championship on Sunday, winning by four strokes in Atlanta.

The American began the week with a two-stroke lead over the top at 10-under par, a reward for his position atop the FedEx Cup leaderboard. The American eased past East Lake with a closing 67 (4-under par) to beat fellow American Collin Morikawa for the winner’s share of $25 million of a $100 million prize pool.

It’s the first time since Tiger Woods in 2007 that a player has won seven PGA Tour victories in a season, a feat made all the more impressive when you factor in an Olympic gold medal, a newborn son and the major tournament arrest that capped Scheffler’s stunning season.

“I feel like I’ve lived almost a lifetime in this one year,” Scheffler told reporters. “It’s been crazy.”

“I’m exhausted right now,” he added. “There’s really no other way to do it. I’m just really, really tired.”

Scheffler’s starting advantage at East Lake was his reward for a stellar campaign.

The 28-year-old looked almost unbeatable during a productive start to the season, becoming the first player ever to defend The Players Championship before claiming victory at the RBC Heritage in April – just a week after claiming his second Masters title at Augusta National – to make it four wins in five starts.

His biggest prize came just weeks later, when his wife Meredith gave birth to the couple’s first child, Bennett. Their son arrived just in time for the PGA Championship, where the Texan was subsequently arrested amid notable scenes in Louisville.

The tournament favorite had been warming up in a cell after being arrested while driving around a police roadblock outside Valhalla Golf Club. Although the week ended in frustration on the course, with Scheffler finishing eight strokes behind winner Xander Schauffele, all charges were dropped two weeks later.

Scheffler recovered to win twice more, at the Memorial Tournament and the Travelers Championship respectively, before winning Olympic gold in a stunning 9-under-par final at Le Golf National in Paris last month.

“I think when you hear people chanting ‘US-A,’ even though it’s been over a month since it happened… It’s pretty cool,” Scheffler said.

“I’m proud to be an American, so it was really nice to bring that gold medal home. As far as the year, I really don’t know how to put it into words.

“You had one weird spot there in Valhalla – I just don’t really know what to say about it – but everything else was pretty special,” he added.

It looked like it was going to be a real series until Scheffler made some uncharacteristic mistakes at the end of his first nine holes. He hit a crooked drive on the seventh hole that forced him to get out from under a tree.

That led to a bogey that was repeated on the next hole when the leader missed his attempt from a greenside bunker, allowing the flying Morikawa to move within two strokes.

True to season, any trace of tension was immediately quashed by Scheffler, who made three straight birdies before an eagle on the par-five 15th hole to quickly overtake world No. 4 Morikawa.

“He’s not impressed by anything,” Morikawa, who earned $12.5 million, told reporters about Scheffler.

“Whether I was close to gaining ground or he gained ground, it didn’t change how he ran, how he played or how he took every shot. That’s something to learn. I think his mental game is a lot stronger than a lot of people realize.

“It’s amazing what he’s been able to do this whole season and the last three years. It’s really cool to watch him, and hopefully I can take something from that.”

Both Morikawa and Scheffler will now focus on the Presidents Cup. Both players automatically qualify for the team of American captain Jim Furyk that will face the international team of Mike Weir on September 24 at the Royal Montreal Golf Club in Quebec, Canada.

Scheffler was part of a successful American team in Quail Hollow, North Carolina two years ago, but he struggled individually, losing three of his four matches.

“Emotionally, I’m pretty exhausted right now, so I’m looking forward to going home and resting for a week or so before I start preparing for the Presidents Cup, because that’s a tournament I really want us to win,” Scheffler said.