Sunday golf: Scottie Scheffler goes back-to-back at The Players Championship
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. — Already the best in the world, Scottie Scheffler added another layer to his legend Sunday. He became the first player to win back-to-back in 50 years of The Players Championship by matching the biggest comeback and the lowest closing round by a winner.
Scheffler holed out for eagle from the fourth fairway and had four birdies in a five-hole stretch around the turn, sending him to an 8-under 64 and a one-shot victory that wasn't decided until the final putt.
Xander Schauffele, Brian Harman and Wyndham Clark all had a chance to force a playoff with a birdie on the daunting 18th hole at the TPC Sawgrass.
Clark had the last shot, a putt just inside 18 feet that dipped into the cup on the left side and came out on the right side, leaving him stunned as he placed his hand over his mouth.
Scheffler, who started the final round five shots behind, finished at 20-under 268 and collected $4.5 million from the $25 million purse, the largest in golf.
This was no ordinary week. He struggled to take the club back early in his second round because of a neck issue and battled to a 69. He looked to be out of it Saturday afternoon until finishing with three straight birdies.
And then he delivered a masterpiece on the Players Stadium Course. His 64 matched the lowest final round by a Players champion, last done by Davis Love III in 2003, and he tied Justin Leonard (1998) with his five-shot comeback.
Asian Tour
Macau, China — John Catlin closed with a 5-under 65 and beat David Puig of Spain with a birdie on the second playoff hole to capture the International Series Macau on the Asian Tour, the American's first victory in nearly three years.
One day after posting the first sub-60 round in Asian Tour history, Catlin had to hold off a closing 60 by Puig that led to extra holes.
Catlin, a 33-year-old Californian, won for the fifth time on the Asian Tour to go along with three European tour titles, most recently the Austrian Open in 2021.
Puig, now with LIV Golf, was going for his third Asian Tour in five months. His runner-up finish should bring him to just outside the top 100 in the world and improve his chances of getting an invitation to the PGA Championship in May.
Patrick Reed finished fourth and also helped his chance of getting a PGA Championship invitational. Reed is not eligible for any of the majors this year after the Masters.
Other tours
Jessica Peng of Taiwan closed with 4-under 67 and won the IOA Golf Classic on the Epson Tour. Lindsey McCurdy was tied for the lead until she bogeyed the par-3 closing hole and finished with a 72. ... John Parry of England closed with a 7-under 65 for a one-shot victory in the Delhi Challenge. Among those tying for second in the Challenge Tour event was Joshua Grenville-Wood from the United Arab Emirates. Cameron John shot 3-under 69 and won The National Tournament by three shots on the PGA Tour Australasia. ... Ai Suzuki won for the second week in a row on the Japan LPGA, winning with a par on the second playoff hole over Sakura Koiwai in the V Point Eneos Golf. The final round was cut to nine holes because of weather. Both shot 33 and finished on 10-under par. ... Yewon Lee closed with a 4-under 68 and won the Blue Canyon Ladies Championship by one shot over Minkyung Choi on the Korea LPGA.