Scheffler wins spectacularly at The Players

America was five strokes off the top of the leaderboard entering the final round, but world number one golfer Scottie Scheffler eventually won the championship with a score of -20 at the most prestigious tournament on the PGA Tour.

Scheffler lifts the 2024 Players Championship trophy at TPC Sawgrass. Photo: AP

Scheffler took home the 2024 Players Championship trophy and a $4.5 million prize this morning, March 18, Hanoi time. With this result, he is the first golfer to win two consecutive championships in the history of the tournament, right on the 50th anniversary of its establishment. Scheffler achieved that unique milestone with remarkable courage on the par-72 Stadium course at the TPC Sawgrass golf complex in Florida.

Last time, Scheffler suddenly suffered a neck injury and asked for medical help several times in the first half of round 2, and had to wear pain-relieving tape on the back of his neck during round 3. However, in the final round, the 27-year-old American golfer started his scoring streak from hole 4, when he scored an eagle on his second shot from the fairway and had to overcome a water trap.

From there, he added six birdies. Even after hitting a bunker on the left side of the 16th green on his second shot, Scheffler got the ball close to the hole and made his sixth birdie for the finish.

Scheffler escapes sand trap to score birdie — Scheffler escaped the sand trap to score birdie.

He kept par on the remaining two holes.

Scheffler had no bogeys throughout the match, shooting 64. This result pushed him to the record for the final round of a champion as well as the record for the most successful comeback - from a five-stroke deficit when entering the match - in the history of the tournament.

On the final day, Scheffler had three big opponents, including two major champions – Brian Harman (The Open), Wyndham Clark (US Open), plus Xander Schauffele, a PGA Tour A-ranker. But all three names could not catch up despite being behind Scheffler, eventually finishing T2 with a score of -19.

In fact, only Clark had a chance to force a playoff with Scheffler, thanks to his birdie putt from five yards away from 18. But it was a gut-wrenching shot for Clark, as the ball, which seemed to hit the target, veered slightly as it approached the target, causing it to curve over the left rim of the hole and bounce out.

As Clark covered his face with his cap in frustration on the final green, Scheffler received the news of the victory while preparing for a playoff on the practice range.

With his second win at The Players, Scheffler has won eight PGA Tour titles, including the 2022 Masters major with a combined prize of $53.5 million. The latest title also helps Scheffler continue to hold the number one position in the world's professional men's golf rankings this week, bringing his total time in the position to 80 weeks.

Scheffler has been playing professional golf since 2018, joined the PGA Tour since 2020, has won 118 tournaments, including The Players 2024.

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