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World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler rides record day at TPC Sawgrass to Players Championship win

Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel on

Published in Golf

Following a miss by Harman in the group ahead and Schauffele from outside 60 feet, Clark stepped in from 17 feet, 4 inches — the exact distance Harman faced. Clark’s ball fell halfway into the hole before horseshoeing out, leaving him and onlookers stunned.

“I don’t know how that putt doesn’t go in,” he said following a 3-under 69. “I’m pretty gutted.”

Schauffele could relate, but for different reasons. Leading Clark by a shot, the world’s No. 6 player came up short again on the final day.

Schauffele was 20-under and in the lead when he reached the tee at the difficult par-4 14th, the week’s toughest hole. When he exited the 15th, he was 18-under after he failed to save par from the deep rough around the green on both holes.

“I’m going to lick my wounds,” he said. “These suck. When I went to bed last night, it’s not exactly how I envisioned walking off the 18th green.”

Following rounds of 65 and 64, defending British Open champion Harman got off to a slow start before he rallied with four birdies in a five-hole stretch ending on No. 12. Another birdie, this from 15 feet on the 15th hole, pulled him with a shot. But he parred in from there, including a 5 on No. 16 — the day’s second-easiest hole.

 

“I had my chances; just didn’t cash in,” he said. “I’m proud of the way I fought back. I wish I could have the drive on 16 back. I wish I could have the putt on 18 back.”

Scheffler’s scorecard was unblemished, but his round was not flawless.

During last week’s resounding win at Bay Hill, he exorcised his putting demons with a flat stick switch. But Scheffler’s miss from inside five feet on the par-3 13th was his first in two weeks from short distance, a nagging issue for much of the past 12 months.

Scheffler shook it off, though, and took the lead with an up-and-down from the greenside bunker on No. 16.

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