Scheffler conquers The Players with a historic performance and became number one in the world

Scottie Scheffler did it like she was in her backyard.

Or in the "office golf" playing alone.

The American

, riding to a six-shot lead and leaving all the drama for everyone else on his way to a 3-under 69 for the richest purse on the PGA Tour. with five strokes of advantage:

, in addition to a springboard towards the number one in the world for the second time in the year.

Scheffler won The Players, considered the fifth 'big' of the season, with a cumulative of -17 after delivering a card of 69 strokes, three under par, with five 'birdies' for two 'bogeys' this Sunday.

The American,

, won his second tournament of 2023, after defending the title in Phoenix and the sixth of his career. 

In addition to the two crowns at Phoenix and Augusta, Scheffler won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

He now has six wins in his last 27 PGA starts, including all four last year, culminating in his Masters championship.

Only Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods

managed to win The Players, being current champions of the Augusta Masters.

"It was a long, hard day, I did a good job of not pushing, considering the difficult conditions," Scheffler said after winning the tournament.

"I'm just trying to get better, I feel lucky to be able to win and enjoy the victories," added the American.

When he took the comfortable victory on the 18th hole, Scheffler celebrated with his wife, Meredith Scudder, with an affectionate kiss.

Later he did it collectively and also thanked the rest of his family for accompanying him at the moment of victory, including his 88-year-old grandmother.

Scheffler and his wife, Meredith, celebrate the victory. Photo: AFP

How comfortable was Scheffler's victory?

When he holed out a 20-foot putt for par on the final hole, Scheffler had the biggest margin for a victory in The Players since Stephen Ames won by six in 2006.

The British Tyrrell Hatton finished in second place, five shots behind Scheffler, with a total of twelve under par.

Tom Hoge and Norwegian Viktor Hovland finished tied for third, with a total of -10.

Rahm was unable to defend his first position when he retired before the start of the day on Friday due to a health problem, after turning in a 1-under 71 on opening day.

The Spaniard had reached the top of the ranking on February 19, when he won the third tournament of his brilliant season at the Genesis Invitational in Pacific Palisades (California, USA).

In addition to the Genesis Invitational, Rahm won the Sentry Tournament of Champions, The American Express.