MIAMI: World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler cruised to a five-stroke victory at the PGA Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday for his first tour victory in nearly a year. Scheffler, the 2022 Masters champion, shot a bogey-free 6-under-par 66 to finish 72 holes at 15-under 273 at Bay Hill in Orlando, Florida. That was enough to see off reigning US Open champion Wyndham Clarke, runner-up on 278 after a final 70, with Irishman Shane Lowry, the 2019 British Open champion, third on 279 after a final 72. “I played good golf,” Scheffler said.
“I started well and did my best to keep things going. “As we were going through the turn on the back nine, I knew I had a few shots ahead. I wasn’t looking at a lot of leaderboards. I stayed in my little space and tried to keep pushing.” Scheffler matched the week’s low round and the 27-year-old American became the first reigning world No. 1 to win at Bay Hill since Tiger Woods in 2009.
“Hats off to Scottie,” Clark said. “He’s the best player in the world right now and that’s what the best players in the world do, shoot a 66 in the last round.” It was Scheffler’s seventh career PGA Tour triumph and his first since last year’s Players Championship – a title he will try to defend next week. “It would be extremely unfair if he started to belong really well,” Clark said.
“If he starts putting positives every week, he’s going to be really hard to beat. “Scottie should win here almost every year. With his ball-striking, this golf course is such a tough tee-to-green and he’s been the best in this category in recent years, so I’m not shocked.” Over the past 12 months, Scheffler said he hasn’t been frustrated by his drought. “I stuck to my process,” he said.
“I’ve had a good couple of weeks off with my friends at home to kind of reset. Going into this week I was trying to have a good attitude.” He now has more confidence heading into his bid to repeat at the Players after his second Palmer crown in three seasons. “Anytime you can win an Arnie tournament, it’s pretty special,” Scheffler said of the event’s legendary namesake.
“He meant a lot to the game of golf. It’s really an honor to win here.” Scheffler began the day sharing the lead with Lowry, but the Irishman started with back-to-back bogeys. Scheffler birdied the first hole with a putt from just short of 12 feet, sank a seven-foot birdie putt on the par-5 sixth and 10th and birdied just short of eight feet to edge Clark by four.
Scheffler extended his lead to five shots when he birdied the 11th from just six feet. Scheffler birdied the 15th with a 34-foot putt to get to 14 under and lead by six, with no opponent able to muster any credible momentum down the stretch. Both Clark and Scheffler birdied the par-5 16th, and while Clark added a birdie on the 18th, it only narrowed Scheffler’s lead for the win.
“I’m very pleased,” Clark said. “Obviously coming in short is always a bummer. I haven’t always loved this golf course and I haven’t played well here and I thought this week that top 5 or top 10 would be huge for me.” it’s just a testament to where my game is and how much I’ve grown.”
