Scottie Scheffler clawed back a five-shot overnight deficit to become the first player in the 50-year history of the Players Championship to successfully defend his title.
A week after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the American comfortably cemented his status as the world’s No1 golfer by carding a final round of eight-under par.
It took him to 20-under for the tournament and was enough to beat Wyndham Clark, Xander Schauffele and Brian Harman by a single stroke, all three of which missed putts on the 18th green to force a playoff.
Clark’s miss was particularly harsh as the ball dropped into the hole only to lip out again with what was the final shot of the whole tournament.
Scheffler did not drop a shot for the final 31 holes of the tournament, all despite struggling with a neck injury, which needed on-course treatment.
Following his historic title defence, which equated to his eighth PGA Tour title, the American said: “It’s pretty special. It’s something you don’t get the opportunity to do very often. It’s tough enough to win one.”
Speaking of his injury following the win, which also pocketed him £3.5million, he said: “I didn’t want to give up in the tournament. I did what I could to hang around until my neck got better and it felt really good [on the final day].”
The 27-year-old’s round sparked into life when he chipped in for an eagle at the fourth. By the turn in the wake of three more birdies, he had already erased Schauffele’s overnight lead.
The lead ebbed and flowed but birdies on the 11th, 12th and 16th holes were enough to keep Scheffler just a stroke clear of his fellow countrymen.
