The resounding roar reverberated from a half-mile away a mere 16 minutes into the final round of The Players Championship on Sunday. It was a sound indicative of something extraordinary having occurred. The inquiry wasn’t so much about “who” but rather “what.”
Shortly thereafter, Scottie Scheffler’s name graced the leaderboard, propelling him onwards and upwards, further solidifying his standing as golf’s foremost talent.
His remarkable 8-under 64 equaled the Players Championship record for the best Sunday score by a winner. His five-shot comeback matched another milestone in tournament history. And now, he stands alone as the sole back-to-back champion in the PGA Tour’s premier championship in over 50 years.
“It’s tough enough to win one Players,” Scheffler remarked, fresh off a five-shot triumph the prior week at Bay Hill. “So to have it back-to-back is extremely special. Yeah, really thankful.”
For those striving to outshine him, his dominance came as no shock, even with Scheffler commencing five shots adrift. “Just another week,” Xander Schauffele quipped upon learning of Scheffler’s ascent in the chase.
Wyndham Clark didn’t glimpse a leaderboard until No. 11, finding Scheffler tied for the lead. “And I kind of chuckled and I said, ‘Yeah, of course.’ I mean, he’s the best player in the world,” Clark remarked.
Scheffler’s eagle from the fourth fairway elicited an immense cheer, followed by four birdies in a five-hole spree around the turn, showcasing his unparalleled command of the game as he navigated the final 31 holes on the challenging TPC Sawgrass course without a single bogey.
This culminated in a nail-biting one-shot victory that hinged on the very last putt.
Schauffele, Clark, and Brian Harman each had an opportunity to force a playoff with a birdie on the daunting 18th hole. Clark had the final shot, a putt just inside 18 feet, which tantalizingly dipped into the cup on the left side, only to emerge on the right side, leaving him dumbfounded as he covered his mouth in disbelief.
“I don’t know how that putt doesn’t go in,” Clark lamented. “Even when it kind of lipped, I thought it would lip in. I’m pretty gutted it didn’t go in.”
Schauffele missed an eagle putt from 25 feet on the par-5 16th and a birdie putt from 6 feet on the treacherous island-green 17th. His approach from the pine straw on the 18th went long, sealing his fate. Harman missed a birdie putt on the 18th from about 18 feet.
They settled for a tie for second, each pocketing just shy of $1.9 million from the $25 million purse, the largest in golf.
Scheffler finished at 20-under 268, earning $4.5 million for his ninth worldwide victory, surpassing $50 million for his career. It’s remarkable to think that just two years and one month ago, he was still chasing his first win.
This was no ordinary week. Scheffler experienced sharp neck pain early in the second round, necessitating treatment as he played through discomfort. But his determination kept him in the fray, unwilling to bow out of the competition.
Trailing by eight shots late on Saturday, Scheffler’s three consecutive birdies offered a glimmer of hope.
“Then today I woke up feeling fairly close to normal,” Scheffler recounted, still sporting strips of black kinesiology tape on his neck. “I went out there and had a good round of golf.”
While understated in speech, Scheffler’s golf was nothing short of sublime.
He delivered a masterclass on the Players Stadium Course, where the tides can shift unpredictably. His 64 matched the low round by a Players champion, last achieved by Davis Love III in 2003. He joined Justin Leonard (1998) with a five-shot comeback.
“I’m a pretty competitive guy, and I didn’t want to give up in the tournament,” Scheffler reflected. “I did what I could to hang around until my neck got better. Today it felt really good.”
Schauffele, who commenced the final round with a one-shot lead, faltered with errant tee shots on the 14th and 15th holes, ultimately finishing with a 70.
“My dad told me a long time ago to commit, execute, and accept. I’m swallowing a heavy dose of acceptance right now,” Schauffele admitted. “I tried to commit, I executed poorly on some shots, and here I am accepting it.”
Harman lingered in contention but faltered on the par-5 16th, while Clark’s valiant effort fell agonizingly short.
Scheffler now enjoys a week off before the Houston Open, with the Masters looming a month away. With his wife expecting their first child at the end of April, it’s shaping up to be a monumental year.
And to think, just 13 days ago, Scheffler was at TPC Sawgrass addressing concerns about his putting, with murmurs about his world ranking. Two weeks later, he’s as formidable as ever.
