Sandy Scott fires a final-round 65 to win the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, break the scoring record and secure his 2027 PGA Tour card.
Sandy Scott entered Sunday chasing his first Korn Ferry Tour victory. He left Columbus with a trophy, a tournament record and a PGA Tour card.
Scott erased a four-shot deficit with a 6-under 65 in the final round of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, finishing at 18-under 266 to beat John Marshall Butler by one stroke and officially earn TourBound status for the 2027 season.
The 28-year-old Scot also climbed to No. 2 on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List, becoming the seventh player this season to lock up PGA Tour membership for next year.
Scott’s closing round was built on aggression.
He made seven birdies against just one bogey, with birdies at Nos. 2, 3, 9, 10, 13, 16 and 17. His only stumble came at No. 14, but he recovered quickly enough to keep control of the tournament down the stretch.
The result also rewrote the tournament record book.
Scott’s 266 total broke the previous 72-hole scoring mark of 267, shared by Adam Svensson, David Lingmerth and John VanDerLaan.
It was a sharp reversal from his only previous appearance at the event, when he missed the cut in 2025.
Scott had already been building toward this breakthrough. He finished runner-up at the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation one week earlier and entered the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship at No. 13 on the points list.
Now he’s second.
“This is what you work for,” Scott said after completing the biggest week of his professional career.
Butler, the 54-hole leader, shot 1-under 70 and finished alone in second at 17 under. It was the best finish of his Korn Ferry Tour career.
Barend Botha produced the round of the day, firing a bogey-free 10-under 61 to finish third at 16 under. His 61 also established a new single-round tournament record.
Scott’s victory carried some national significance as well.
He became just the third golfer representing Scotland to win on the Korn Ferry Tour, joining Martin Laird and Russell Knox.
The bigger accomplishment, though, is what comes next.
Scott no longer has to wonder whether he’ll earn a place on the PGA Tour. That part is settled.
With one Sunday charge in Columbus, he turned a strong Korn Ferry Tour season into a full promotion.
