Players Championship 2024: Instant Reactions to Scottie Scheffler, Final Leaderboard

Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Scottie Scheffler is the first back-to-back winner of the Players Championship.

The world No. 1 carded an 8-under 64 in Sunday’s final round in order to defend his 2023 title for the first time in the tournament’s 50-year history.

PGA TOUR @PGATOUR

BACK-TO-BACK!!

Scottie Scheffler is the first player in history to win consecutive @THEPLAYERS titles!

🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/pM2VinnBNB

It was anything but an easy win for Scheffler, who injured his neck in Round 2, entered Sunday’s finale five shots back and had three players threatening to force a playoff on Hole 18.

Here’s a breakdown of the instant reaction to Sunday’s final round TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

Final Leaderboard

T2. Xander Schauffele -19

Spotrac @spotrac

2024 Players Championship Payouts

1st: Scottie Scheffler: $4.5M
T2: Harman, Schauffele, Clark: $1.89M
5th: Matt Fitzpatrick: $1.025M
T6: Si Woo Kim, Matsuyama: $875k
8th: Ludvig Aberg: $781k
T9: Theegala, McNealy: $706k

Comeback Scottie

Scheffler finished Day 2 with a 3-under 69 (six shots back) and Day 3 with a 12-under 204 (five shots back of 54-hole leader Xander Schauffele.)

Those totals had Scheffler on pace for a top-ten finish, but they aren’t up the world No. 1’s usual standards, in part due to the neck pain he suffered Friday.

There was tape visible on his neck Saturday, during which Scheffler said he was “battling” the injury, per Sean Martin of PGATour.com.

He recovered Sunday by hitting an eagle and six birdies to finish with the solo lead.

PGA TOUR @PGATOUR

SCHEFFFFF! pic.twitter.com/A3iOOoqBNi

That win tied the largest final-round comeback in tournament history, per ESPN’s Mark Schlabach.

Scheffler is also the fourth competitor in Players history to shoot 65 or under in the final round, per Schlabach.

Brady Smith @brady_smith22

Scheffler neck tape 🤝 Jordan flu game

Tempus Fugit @Philclever

Scheffler beats the strongest field with a neck injury.

Schauffele, Clark, Harman Come One Stroke Short

Scheffler had to wait in the clubhouse as Schauffele, Brian Harman and Wyndham Clark threatened to tie the lead with a birdie on Hole 18.

All three finished one shot short of forcing a playoff.

Clark came close, but the putt that would have earned him a share of the lead went into the cup and bounced back out again.

PGA TOUR @PGATOUR

One … shot … short … 💔

Heartbreak for Wyndham Clark on the 72nd hole @THEPLAYERS. pic.twitter.com/6d1Qa3elOa

Golf Digest @GolfDigest

Wyndham Clark was THIS close to a playoff. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/tfL2ColoUx

“I don’t know how that putt doesn’t go in,” Clark said after the final round, per Brentley Romine of NBC Sports. “It was kind of right center with like a foot to go, and I knew it was going to keep breaking, but it had speed and I thought it was going to good inside left, and even when it kind of lipped, I thought it would lip in. I’m pretty gutted it didn’t go in.”

Will Comish @WillComish

Astonishingly poor luck for Wyndham Clark, agonisingly close to forcing a playoff. Undoubtedly one of the greatest final rounds of a tournament in years. Scheffler makes history + he certainly did it in style. But what could’ve been. Golf wins again. Magnificent standard tonight. https://t.co/lfJRi0g8ic pic.twitter.com/2Tsg3NyeVf

Oscar Mendoza @capomendoza

You need to feel sorry for Wyndham Clark tonight. A whisker away from a play off at the 18th. What a finale we were treated to, with Scottie Scheffler a truly exceptional champion #THEPLAYERS

Clark also finished second to Scheffler last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Scheffler’s Victory Tour Continues

Scheffler’s first-place finish earned the 27-year-old $4.5 million just one week after his last PGA Tour win, a five-shot victory over Clark at Bay Hill.

At this point, fans are used to seeing his name at the top of the leaderboard.

Jason Sobel @JasonSobelTAN

Scottie Scheffler has made $8.5 million in on-course earnings over the last eight days.

Joe Pompliano @JoePompliano

Scottie Scheffler has broken the PGA Tour’s single-season prize money record two years in a row.

2022: $14 million
2023: $21 million

And after winning The Players Championship, Scheffler is already at $11 million in earnings this year

…with 6 months left in the season. pic.twitter.com/er5zkwCHa6

Dan Rapaport @Daniel_Rapaport

Scottie Scheffler in majors/signature events since Feb 2023. Just an absurd standard of golf:

’23 WMPO —🏆
’23 Genesis — T12
’23 Bay Hill — T4
’23 Players — 1
’23 Match Play — 4
’23 Masters — T10
’23 Heritage — T11
’23 PGA Champ — T2
’23 Memorial — 3
’23 U.S. Open — 3
’23…

Fried Egg Golf @fried_egg_golf

Lowest combined score at the 2023 & 2024 Players Championships

-37 Scottie Scheffler
-25 Xander Schauffele
-24 Hideki Matsuyama
-24 Wyndham Clark

Shane Bacon @shanebacon

Scottie Scheffler’s final round scoring average the last two weeks: 65.0.

Best in the world by a canyon.

Scheffler will now begin preparing for the 2024 Masters Tournament on April 11, where he will hope to add to his 2022 title as the 18th player in history to win the tournament more than once.

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