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18th March 2024
11:40am GMT
Rory McIlroy set a curious record at The Player Championship, at Sawgrass, Florida, and still only finished tied 19th, some 11 shots behind winner Scottie Scheffler.
McIlroy carded a remarkable 26 birdies across his four rounds, a Player Championship record. Unfortunately for him, he also had 11 bogeys and three double bogeys blot his scoring cards, all combining for a finishing total of 279 (9 under). Informed of his new record, after his final round, McIlroy proclaimed, "Woo-hoo!" On those scoring ups and downs, he said:
"I did the same thing at the back end of 2020 I remember, the back end of the Covid year I was making a ton of birdies and making a ton of mistakes, as well, and it was just a matter of trying to figure out a way to keep the bogeys off the card and still make the birdies.
"So, yeah, look, it's not all bad. It could be a lot worse, I guess. If these are the worse finishes that I'm going to have 20ths, you know, I feel like that's my floor and I haven't quite got to the golf that I've wanted to play to get to my ceiling. Hopefully, over the next few weeks I can work at it and get closer to that level of golf."
TPC Sawgrass is a par 72 and was the venue for 2024 Players Championship. $25,000,000 created history with it been the richest ever prize fund for a professional golf event.
Major champions Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau all missed the event due to joining LIV Golf. Major champions Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Justin Rose all had a weekend off, after missing the cut.
Water comes into play on every hole at Sawgrass including the iconic island green at 17th. That hole teed up a gripping final round as 2023 US Open winner Wyndham Clark, leader after 36 holes, dumped one in the drink and started Sunday’s round on -16 and one behind new leader Xander Schauffele.
After five holes of final round, though, Clark and Schauffele are tied for the lead on -17. Scottie Scheffler shot rounds of 65, 69, 68 and went into day four on -12. The world No.1 played holes four and five in an incredible -3 to move within two shots of leaders. He finished the front nine with two birdies in three holes to reach -19 and take a one shot lead over Clark 10th tee.
Scheffler tied the lead due to playing 12 holes in a sensational -7. However, Schauffele went into the lead on -20 due to getting up and down for birdie at 12.
2023 Open champion Brian Harman (-15) moved within two shots of Schauffele after a birdie at 11. Schauffele dropped back to -18 due to playing 14 and 15 in a disappointing +2, though. Back to the charging Scheffler, he had a fantastic up-and-down at 16 to reach -20.
Harman kept his hopes of a win alive due to an excellent birdie at 15, to reach -19. Scheffler finished with a par to shoot 64 and set the clubhouse target on -20. Clark refused to give up, though, as he made two birdies in a row at 16 and 17 to reach -19.
Harman failed to birdie 16 and finished with a par to come up one shot short on -19. Schauffele and Clark, on the same score, both needed a birdie at 18 to force a play-off. Clark (agonisingly) and Schauffele were both unsuccessful with their birdie putts at 18 and Scheffler was confirmed as champion.
In the space of two years Scheffler has won eight times, in consecutive February to April windows. He received a winners cheque of $4.5 million. Clark, Schauffele and Harman finished tied second on -19 and all received $1.9 million.
Matt Fitzpatrick played holes 15 to 18 in -4 to finish fifth on -16. Hideki Matsuyama and Si-woo Kim finished tied sixth on -15. Ludvig Aberg continues to impress as he shot a round of 67 to finish eight on -14. Sahith Theegala and Maverick McNealy finished tied ninth on -13.
Rory McIlroy opened up with an exceptional round of 65 and was joint leader on -7. McIlroy finished tied 19th on -9, mainly due to disappointing second and fourth rounds of 73 and 72. Throughout the four days McIlroy made 26 birdies but also dropped 17 shots. McIlroy has one more opportunity at Valero Texas Open to improve his game for Augusta.
Shane Lowry started his final round on -3. Lowry shot a round of 66 which included a birdie at 17. Lowry finished tied 19 th on -9 and earned $285,500. Seamus Power finished tied 64th on level par.
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