World number one Scottie Scheffler became the first golf professional to defend his title at the Players Championship. After his coup from the previous year, the American won the top-class tournament in Ponte Vedra Beach on Sunday (local time) with a total of 268 strokes and a strong final round of 64 – something that has never happened before. “It’s great. It’s special,” Scheffler said.
After the four major tournaments, the Players Championship is the most important individual competition in golf. With one stroke more, the three Americans Brian Harman, Xander Schauffele and Wyndham Clark came in tied for second place. Schauffele and especially Clark still had a chance of a playoff with a birdie before the 18th and final hole at TPC Sawgrass. But Clark’s golf ball went from the edge of the hole back onto the green. The German Matti Schmid came in tied for 26th place with 280 strokes after two good rounds at the start. Stephan Jäger failed to make the cut.