Scottie Scheffler eagled the par-5 13th hole, made a critical par save at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Hole and held on to repeat as champion of the WM Phoenix Open on Sunday in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The victory, the fifth of Scheffler’s PGA Tour career and his first since the Masters 10 months ago, will vault him back to the No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking on Monday.
Scheffler signed for a bogey-free, 6-under 65 Sunday to finish at 19-under 265, two shots clear of Canadian Nick Taylor (final-round 65). Jon Rahm of Spain posted a 68 and finished a distant third at 14-under 270.
“I’m just proud how I fought today,” Scheffler said on the CBS broadcast. “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 today.”
Tied for the lead with Taylor as they arrived at No. 13, Scheffler sank a 22-foot putt for eagle to move to 18 under. Taylor birdied the hole.
Scheffler clung to the one-stroke lead when he teed off at the famed par-3 16th hole. He missed the green badly to the left and got up and down for par by sinking a 15-foot putt, the longest putt he made on the hole in his career.
“That was a big putt,” Scheffler said. “I’m really grateful. That one almost looked like it was gonna be short for a while. But that putt was really fast, just kind of kept on going … It was definitely a lot of fun to see that one go in.”
At the same hole, Taylor also missed left and couldn’t convert a par putt from just inside 7 feet, dropping back a stroke. Scheffler then birdied the short par-4 17th on his way to the victory.
Scheffler, 26, won the Phoenix Open last year for his breakthrough win on tour, launching a spring that saw him win four times in six starts, culminating with the Masters and the No. 1 world ranking.
Taylor, 34, was hunting for his third career victory and his first since 2020.
“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.”
Behind Rahm, Justin Thomas shot a 65 with four birdies in his final six holes and placed fourth at 13 under. Australian Jason Day (68) was alone in fifth at 12 under. Sam Burns (68), Sungjae Im of South Korea (69), Tyrrell Hatton of England (69) and Jordan Spieth (70) tied for sixth at 11 under.
Rickie Fowler made a hole-in-one on the par-3 seventh hole, the third ace of his long PGA Tour career, and he carded a 70 to finish in a tie for 10th at 10 under.
–Field Level Media
