Scottie Scheffler (-20) has won the THE PLAYERS. He did it coming from behind (final round of 64 strokes), with a partial of eight less in the last fourteen holes, shortening the distances with the head in an inexorable way, step by step, hole by hole, with a very high level golf, sharp and constant.
He also wins for the second consecutive time, becoming the first player in the history of the tournament (this year was the fiftieth edition) who successfully defends the title. And we are talking about a comparison in the distance with the best players in the world of the last half century, starting of course with Jack Nicklaus (1974, 1976 and 1978), who still in his prime sang victory three times, but never consecutively. And ending with Tiger, of course, twice winner (2001 and 2013).
The Texan does not stop writing golden pages of golf history and he does not stop walking firmly on the path that leads to sports legend, although he does it in his own way, in his own time, and his achievements are still far from those obtained by other great champions.
Beyond the specific historical data or the number of titles, rankings and statistics, what continues to attract attention is the ability of this player to repeat again and again shots that are not far from perfection, if perfection existed. In one round. And in the next. In one tournament. And in the next. In February. And in March. And in April. And in May…
There may still be some clueless person without bad intention who does not fully discover in Scheffler all the features of a powerful and intimidating World Number One, each one with their impressions, but if something can be highlighted from the Texan is that he sculpts his size of best player in the world on the field, on the playing field, almost every time he goes out to compete. The great truth of his greatness tells us stroke by stroke.
Today’s test was no trifle. It could never be in an event of this caliber and in the decisive round. But the best proof of this is that up to three players were putting on hole 72 with the option to make a birdie and go to a playoff that could have been anthological (Clark, Schauffele and Harman, no less).
It is true that Xander Schauffele (-19), leader at the start of the day, faltered in the last third of the round (bogeys on holes 14 and 15), just when Scheffler was narrowing the margin of maneuver. It is also true that Brian Harman (-19) did not have his best day on the greens (neither Clark or Schauffele); and that Clark did not finish stringing a dazzling stretch of play, even though he has been fed up with impaling huge irons. All of this is true. But the solidity and determination of these players, their ability to cling to the ground and fight until the last breath, have been evident and should not be underestimated in the face of the winner’s exhibition. It would not be fair: Scottie moves in another dimension, especially when the putter rows in the same direction as the rest of his game, which has undoubtedly happened this Sunday (the par putt on 7, from about two and a half meters, to continue the charge, now seems decisive, after the fact. Just like the par he pulled forward on 17, putting from about fifteen meters full of unevenness and falls).
Scheffler, in case we forgot something, also chains eight rounds below seventy strokes on the Stadium course of the TPC Sawgrass, something that nobody had ever achieved since 1982, the year in which this tournament came to this field to stay. Well, data, just data. Let’s better stick with this other thing, which does not pay so much attention to the numbers and yes to the background of the golfer we are facing: this week he has won and has not stopped playing below seventy strokes facing physical discomfort in the neck that would have swept away the possibilities of the majority. Behind a simple appearance and a balanced personality, a fierce competitive spirit and an indomitable courage boil, as if they were not already adorned with enough talents.
The 2024 Grandes season is just around the corner and nowhere like in the majors are legends forged and enlarged. Scottie knows it and it is even likely (although he does not tell you on Tik Tok) that he has already assumed that it is time to win the second, because it is the only way to go for the third… Everything in due time.
