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Scottie Scheffler waits to play on the eighth hole during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Sunday, June 21, 2026.<\/p>\n
Gerald Herbert\/AP Photo\/Gerald Herbert<\/p>\n
About once a year I try to answer the hot topic question of which local professional franchise is going to win the next championship. In fairness, I pretty much whiffed on\u00a0the Rangers taking it all in 2023 <\/a>which, less than three seasons later, still feels like maybe it didn\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n But I can\u2019t give you the Stars, Rangers, Cowboys or\u00a0Mavs today. Not now. The two best candidates, for me, are the Wings and Scottie Scheffler.<\/a><\/p>\n The Wings might deserve it simply because they are the only team that actually wants to make downtown Dallas its home<\/a>, if only the city will keep its promises and honor its contracts. In the meantime, the Wings rallied from 14 points down after three quarters late Saturday night to beat Chicago <\/a>and run their record to 10-6.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Why is this significant? The Wings were 10-34 a year ago, so 10-6 is one heck of a leap. Keep one eye on the local WNBA team, even if it means a drive to southwest Arlington.<\/p>\n At this point,\u00a0Scheffler, who turned 30 on Father\u2019s Day, has to qualify as the best pro franchise in these parts. With four majors in his pocket, he made his run at the career grand slam this weekend in Southampton, N.Y. After a rough first round that had him tied for 49th, Scheffler grinded his way into Sunday\u2019s final pairing but never made a real charge at Wyndham Clark Sunday, finishing fourth at even par.<\/a><\/p>\n To say there\u2019s no shame in tying for fourth is putting it mildly.<\/p>\n Brooks\u00a0Koepka, the winner of the 2018 U.S. Open \u2014 the last one played at this devilish Shinnecock Hills links-style layout \u2014 missed the cut at 10-over par after two rounds.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Most of his former\u00a0LIV buddies (at least the big names) joined him as Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau,<\/a> Patrick Reed and Cam Smith were nowhere to be seen on the weekend. Neither were some of the PGA Tour\u2019s finest, including Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Harris English, Rickie Fowler, Si Woo Kim, Adam Scott and last year\u2019s Open winner, J.J. Spaun.<\/p>\n Just getting to Saturday was half the battle for most.<\/p>\n For\u00a0Scheffler to finish in a tie for fourth also feels like further testimony to the golfer he has been in 2026. Since winning the American Express in Palm Springs back in January, his first event, Scheffler has run off top-5 finishes at Phoenix (third), Pebble Beach (fourth), the Masters (second to Rory McIlroy), the Heritage at Harbour Town (second), the Cadillac at Doral (third) and the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in McKinney (third).<\/p>\n Scheffler began the final round six shots back of Clark, but never put together a birdie streak to get himself into real contention. By late afternoon, it was only a matter of whether the wobbly Clark would hold it together enough to beat Sam Burns, who finished at 3-under par after just missing a birdie on 18. With two putts on the final green to shoot a 3-over-par 73, Clark won his second Open by a single stroke.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n