Page 15 - aruba-today-20230213

A15
sports Monday 13 February 2023
Scheffler repeats at Phoenix Open to regain No. 1 ranking

By JOHN NICHOLSON Jon Rahm, the former Arizo-
AP Sports Writer na State star who opened
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — the year with consecutive
Scottie Scheffler success- victories in Hawaii and the
fully defended his WM California desert, was third
Phoenix Open title Sunday at 14 under after a 68. He
at TPC Scottsdale to regain also was in position to take
the No. 1 spot in the world. the No. 1 spot with a vic-
Scheffler closed with a tory.
6-under 65 to beat Nick Justin Thomas was fourth at
Taylor by two strokes on 13 under after a 65. Jason
the Stadium Course. The Day (68) followed at 12 un-
26-year-old Texan took the der, and Jordan Speith (70)
No. 1 ranking from Rory was another stroke back
McIlroy with his fifth PGA with Sam Burns (68), Sung-
Tour victory. jae Im (69) and Tyrrell Hat-
Last year, Scheffler beat ton (69)
Patrick Cantlay in a playoff Rickie Fowler was in the
for his first tour title. Schef- group at 10 under. The 2019
fler added victories in the winner had a hole-in-one
Arnold Palmer Invitational, on the par-3 seventh, us-
the WGC-Match Play and ing a 6-iron in the 216-yard
the Masters and was the hole.
PGA Tour's player of the Scottie Scheffler holds up the championship trophy after the final round of the Phoenix Open golf McIlroy closed with a 70 to
year. tournament, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, in Scottsdale, Ariz. Associated Press tie for 32nd at 4 under.q
Scheffler made a 22-foot
eagle putt on the par-5
13th to break a tie with
Taylor, then took a two-
shot lead on the par-3 16th
when he rolled in a 15-foot-
er for par after hitting his
tee shot far left on the sta-
dium hole.
Scheffler birdied the par-4
17th with a 5-foot putt and
closed with a par to finish
at 19-under 265. He earned
$3.6 million from the $20
million purse in the second
of the PGA Tour's new des-
ignated events, created
to bring the top players to-
gether more often.
Scheffler became the sev-
enth player to successfully
defend a title in the tourna-
ment, following Ben Hogan
(1946-47), Jimmy Demaret
(1949-50), Lloyd Mangrum
(1952-53), Arnold Palmer
(three straight from 1961-
63), Johnny Miller (1974-75)
and Hideki Matsuyama
(2016-17).
Taylor also finished with
a 65. The Canadian bo-
geyed the 16th, missing
a 7-footer after Scheffler
holed his par putt.

facebook.com/arubatoday/