Scottie Scheffler reclaims world No 1 spot with Players Championship win

Even the 17th at Sawgrass, host to carnage throughout the final round of the Players Championship, could not halt Scottie Scheffler. It helped that the man who is now restored as No 1 in the world took to the iconic par three while holding a five-shot lead. As soon as his tee shot was dry, victory was secure. This was a procession.

Scheffler’s glory here, by five from Tyrrell Hatton courtesy of a 17-under-par aggregate, means he has won half a dozen times since last February. After completion of the Ryder Cup in the autumn of 2021, and aside from victories, Scheffler has 14 other top-10 finishes. His on-course reward for that is close to $25m, $4.5m (£3.7m) of which was earned here at Ponte Vedra.

“That was a lot of fun,” said Scheffler. “I am just hoping to improve and get a little better over time. I’m fortunate and thankful to see wins along the way.” His 88-year-old grandmother Mary was among family members behind the 18th green.

Scheffler had played his first seven holes in one over par. He was assisted in part by the struggles of his playing partner, Min Woo Lee, but also a chip-in birdie at the 8th. By the time the unflappable Scheffler collected further shots at the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th, everyone else was playing for second. Scheffler’s return to Augusta National, where he will defend the Masters early next month, presumably cannot come quickly enough.

He has become just the third golfer in history, after Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, to hold the Masters and Players titles at the same time. “I did a really good job of staying patient then got hot in the middle of the round,” Scheffler added. Indeed, this was something of an anticlimax; which was precisely the way Scheffler wanted it. A 69 was his