Scottie Scheffler has reclaimed golf’s No.1 ranking from Rory McIlroy after successfully defending his Phoenix Open in style.
Masters champion Scheffler carded a closing six-under 65 at TPC Scottsdale on Sunday to finish on 19 under par, two shots ahead of Canada’s Nick Taylor, who also shot a 65.
Playing alongside Scheffler and Taylor in the final group, in-form world No.3 Jon Rahm posted a 68 and had to settle for outright third, five shots behind the winner.
Australia’s former world No.1 Jason Day continued his good run as he shot 68 to be outright fifth, a shot behind fourth-placed Justin Thomas (65), following his last-start tied seventh at Torrey Pines.
Day looked set to challenge when he birdied his first three holes but he dropped a shot on the 10th and couldn’t find his only other birdie until the 17th.
Scheffler’s win meant McIlroy needed to finish third or better to remain top of the rankings, but the Northern Irishman had to settle for a tie for 32nd following a final round 70.
McIlroy had not finished worse than eighth in his previous eight starts, a sequence which included three wins.
Sam Burns (68), Sungjae Im of South Korea (69), Tyrrell Hatton of England (69) and Jordan Spieth (70) tied for sixth at 11 under.
Scheffler earned $US3.6 million ($A5.2m) from the $US20 million ($A29m) purse in the second of the PGA Tour’s new designated events, created in response to LIV Golf to bring the top tour players together more often.
“There were a lot of guys up there,” Scheffler said. “I knew it was going to take a great round. Nobody was going to give this golf tournament to me. I had to go out and earn it.”
Taylor, the world No.223, pushed Scheffler hardest and birdies on the ninth and 10th gave him a share of the lead as he hunted his third career victory and his first since 2020.
Scheffler reclaimed top spot in style with an eagle on the par-five 13th, although Taylor’s birdie kept him firmly in touch and both men then missed the green on the short 16th in front of the baying grandstands.
Taylor was left with the easier shot but it was Scheffler who saved par by holing from 15 feet and Taylor missed from half the distance before seeing his birdie putt on the 17th cruelly catch the edge of the hole and spin out.
Scheffler had no such problems from short range and safely parred the last to seal victory after Taylor had deservedly made birdie.
“I hit some wild shots off the tee that were pretty uncharacteristic for how I usually shape the ball,” Scheffler said.
“I was just able to grind it out, make a lot of putts. I think I only had two bogeys this week, which is really, really good around this golf course.”
with The AP
Source: Yahoo Sports
