Scottie Scheffler achieves a historic feat as the first player to successfully defend the Players Championship title, following a crucial missed putt by Wyndham Clark.

March 18, 2024

Scottie Scheffler achieves a historic feat as the first player to successfully defend the Players Championship title, following a crucial missed putt by Wyndham Clark.

Wyndham Clark and TPC Sawgrass both believed his ball had made it into the hole. As it circled around the cup, part of it actually did go in.

However, despite the close call and the anticipation, the birdie putt needed by the American player to force a playoff with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler narrowly missed, securing Scheffler's place as the first-ever consecutive winner of The Players Championship.

Scheffler staged an impressive comeback on Sunday, erasing a five-stroke deficit to defend his title with the narrowest of margins in Florida. He raced around the Stadium Course, finishing with a remarkable eight-under 64 in the final round – a score tied for the lowest of the tournament – ultimately clinching victory by one stroke with a total of 20-under par.

Winning the 50th edition of the PGA Tour's premier event earned the 25-year-old a winner's share of $4.5 million from a total prize pool of $25 million.

With this being his eighth victory on the PGA Tour and his second win in just a few days following a commanding performance at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week, Scheffler's position as a leading figure in men's golf is solidified even more by his remarkable back-to-back triumph at golf's prestigious 'fifth major.'

Speaking to reporters, Scheffler expressed his appreciation for the rare opportunity to defend such a significant title.

"Winning one Players Championship is already challenging, so to achieve it consecutively is exceptionally meaningful. I'm truly grateful."

Scheffler had secured a comfortable five-shot victory a year ago, but this time around, he faced more intense pressure from both his competitors and his own physical condition.

Despite being the world No. 1, Scheffler endured neck pain throughout much of the second round on Friday, even requiring on-course treatment from a physiotherapist. The discomfort affected his swing to the extent that he questioned his ability to continue playing. However, he persevered, managing to shoot rounds of 69 and 68 before his impressive final round.

Reflecting on his perseverance, Scheffler admitted he's a competitive individual and was determined not to give up on the tournament. He credited his physiotherapist, Marnus, for his role in alleviating the pain and expressed gratitude for feeling better during the final round.

For Wyndham Clark, the conclusion of the tournament was particularly agonizing. Despite an impressive week and arriving at the final tee just one stroke behind, he, along with Brian Harman and Xander Schauffele, needed a birdie to force a playoff. While Harman and Schauffele came close, Clark's putt from over 16 feet seemed destined for success but narrowly missed, leaving him tapping in for par with a sense of disbelief.

Back at the clubhouse, Clark was still puzzled by his final score of 68 and couldn't shake off the disbelief.

"I'm baffled by how that putt didn't drop," Clark remarked.

"It was heading towards the right center with about a foot left to go, and I anticipated it would continue to break. Despite its speed, I thought it would veer towards the left and sneak in. Even when it hit the lip, I was convinced it would still find its way in."

Despite his impressive performance throughout the week, including breaking the course record and winning the storm-affected Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California last month, the immediate disappointment of missing out on victory at The Players Championship overshadowed any consolation.

"Perhaps sometime next week, I'll be able to reflect on the positives and find some solace in it, but at the moment, I'm feeling pretty low," he admitted.

"Sure, there are some positives to take away. Finishing second means gaining valuable points and earnings, but it's still tough to swallow. Throughout my professional career, I've always dreamed of making a crucial putt to either force a playoff or win a tournament, and I haven't had that memorable moment yet. So, I was really disappointed that I didn't get to experience one of those incredible moments. I'm still feeling a bit lost about it."

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