Golf: Scheffler defends Phoenix Open title to reclaim world No. 1

PHOENIX – Defending champion Scottie Scheffler outduelled Canada’s Nick Taylor down the back nine on Sunday to retain his PGA Phoenix Open crown and overtake Rory McIlroy for the top ranking.

It was the American’s first title since capturing the 2022 Masters and gave him the world No. 1 title he surrendered to Northern Ireland’s McIlroy last October.

“It feels pretty good,” Scheffler, 26, said after his victory.

He fired a six-under 65 to complete 72 holes at TPC Scottsdale on 19-under 265 and defeat Taylor (65) by two strokes for the US$3.6 million (S$4.8 million) top prize and his fifth career PGA title.

“I’m just proud of how I fought,” he added. “I didn’t have my best stuff. I grinded it out today.

“I wasn’t hitting it good off the tee. My irons didn’t feel as sharp. But I played a great round of golf.”

Spain’s third-ranked Jon Rahm, who also had a chance to become world No. 1 with a victory, settled for third on 270 after a closing 68.

“I didn’t feel like I made bad swings, but I put myself in bad spots,” he said. “If you told me early in the week 19-under was going to be winning I would think they would have won by six or seven because of the wind conditions we had all week.”

Two-time PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas (65) was fourth on 271 and Australian Jason Day, the 2015 PGA Championship winner, carded 68 for fifth on 272.

Scheffler became the seventh back-to-back Phoenix Open winner and the first repeat champion since Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama in 2017. He joined McIlroy and Max Homa as the only players to successfully defend PGA titles so far this season.

Scheffler won his first PGA Tour title last year in Phoenix to launch an incredible two-month run that included wins at Bay Hill and the WGC Match Play before taking his first Major at Augusta National.

Taylor and Scheffler were deadlocked for the lead with six holes to play. Scheffler reached the green in two at the par-five 13th and rolled in a clutch 22-foot eagle putt to reach 18-under while Taylor answered with a seven-foot birdie putt to stay only one adrift.

At the famed par-three 16th hole, with 20,000 rowdy fans in a stadium atmosphere, Scheffler was booed for missing the green with a nine-iron. Taylor’s eight-iron also drew boos as it rolled off to the left.

After relief from a grandstand, Scheffler chipped 15 feet past the hole, while Taylor pitched to just inside seven feet.

Scheffler rolled in the tense par putt to spark a loud roar from the crowd, pumping his right fist in joy at the feat, while Taylor missed right of the hole moments later for his first bogey of the day to stumble two back with two holes left.

“It was a big putt,” Scheffler said. “Definitely a lot of fun to see that one go in.”

Taylor had a horseshoe lip-out on a 16-foot birdie putt at the 17th and Scheffler followed with a birdie tap-in from inside five feet to reach 19-under and lead by three. Taylor birdied No. 18 but it only trimmed the final margin.

Scheffler, who began the final round with a two-stroke lead over Rahm and Taylor, sank 10-foot birdie putts at the second and par-five third holes.

But Taylor sizzled early as well, dropping his approach at the first hole inside four feet to set up a birdie putt and adding a 10-foot birdie putt at the third.

He holed out from just inside 38 feet to birdie the sixth, then joined Scheffler in sinking six-foot birdie putts at the ninth before matching him for the lead with a three-foot birdie putt at 10.

“I played great today,” Taylor said. “I felt like I didn’t really make any mistakes maybe until 16.

“But I really felt that was a great swing off the tee there. That wind was just crazy strong. I played enough for it, just obviously not quite enough.”

McIlroy fired a second straight 70 to finish on 280 and share 32nd.

Rickie Fowler (70) aced the par-three seventh hole with a six-iron from 216 yards. It was the American’s first hole-in-one at a PGA event since 2015. AFP, REUTERS