WM Phoenix Open: After successfully defending his title and winning the WM Phoenix Open by two strokes, Scottie Scheffler dislodged Rory McIlroy from the top spot in the world rankings.
In a nail-biting final round at TPC Scottsdale, Scheffler fended off a determined assault from playing partners Jon Rahm and Nick Taylor. The American’s bogey-free 65 was good for his fifth PGA Tour victory and his first since April.
The 26-year-old finished the week on 19 under par, five strokes clear of nearest rival Taylor, who birdied the last to match Scheffler’s final-round 65, and five behind of third-place Rahm.
With the victory, Scheffler advances to fifth place in the FedExCup rankings and becomes the ninth player to successfully defend his title in Phoenix. His most recent triumph also means he will surpass Rory McIlroy, who finished the week tied-32nd, as the number one player in the world.
How Scheffler became world no. 1?
After Rahm and Taylor promptly cut in half Scheffler’s overnight lead with birdies at the opening hole, the Master’s winner rolled in from 10 feet at the ensuing par-four to regain a two-shot lead.
1-under start for @JonRahmPGA 🐦 pic.twitter.com/bil9r7Pcyz
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 12, 2023
Scheffler parred the par-five third after making a conversion from a similar distance to match his playing mates’ birdies, including Rahm’s from 20 feet, then made a key par-save at the fifth after a shoddy first putt sailed 10 feet past the hole.
Following a pitch out from behind a tree and a subsequent birdie, Rahm made an up-and-down from the fifth fairway to come within one of Scheffler. Taylor then joined Rahm in a tie for second place by rolling in from 35 feet.
Rahm bogeyed the next hole, while Taylor scrambled par at the seventh to take over second place alone. Taylor then joined Scheffler in making a close-range birdie at the ninth to maintain his one-shot lead going into the turn.
When Taylor scored his fifth birdie of the round by flicking a wedge shot to three feet at the tenth hole, Scheffler lost his one-shot lead. Rahm needed to hit a 20-footer to save par at the following hole in order to stay within three of the lead.
While Rahm made birdie and then saved par at the 15th after nearly holing from the drop zone, Taylor took advantage of the par-five 13th but fell one behind when Scheffler sank a 30-foot eagle to reach 18 under.
When Taylor couldn’t get up and down from left of the putting surface on the par-three 16th, Scheffler found respite from a position close to the grandstand and recovered from an average chip to sink a 15-foot putt for par. This was enough to increase his advantage.
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