Scottie Scheffler claimed a fifth PGA Tour victory and a primary win since The Masters with a profitable title defence at TPC Scottsdale; Rory McIlroy completed tied-Thirty second and loses world No 1 rating for the primary time since October

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Highlights from the fourth spherical of the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.

Scottie Scheffler ended Rory McIlroy’s stint on the high of the world rankings after finishing a profitable title defence with a two-stroke victory on the WM Phoenix Open.

Scheffler held off a robust problem from enjoying companions Jon Rahm and Nick Taylor throughout an exciting closing spherical at TPC Scottsdale, with a bogey-free 65 sufficient to earn the American a fifth PGA Tour title and a primary since April.

The 26-year-old carded an eagle and 4 birdies to finish the week on 19 beneath and comfortably forward of closest challenger Taylor, who birdied the final to match Scheffler’s final-round 65, with Rahm 5 strokes off the tempo in third.

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Scottie Scheffler reacts on successful the WM Phoenix Open and returning to world No 1 at TPC Scottsdale

Victory sees Scheffler turns into the seventh participant to efficiently defend his title in Phoenix and strikes him to fifth within the FedExCup standings, together with his newest success additionally which means he’ll soar above McIlroy – who ended the week tied-Thirty second – as world No 1.

How Scheffler returned to world No 1

Rahm and Taylor instantly halved Scheffler’s in a single day benefit with birdies on the first, just for the Masters champion to roll in from 10 toes on the par-four subsequent to revive his two-shot cushion.

Scheffler transformed from an identical distance on the par-five third to match the birdies of his enjoying companions, together with from 20 toes by Rahm, then holed an important par-save on the fifth after a poor first putt ran 10 toes previous the opening.

Rahm had made an up and down from the fifth fairway – after pitching out from behind a tree earlier than birdieing the subsequent to maneuver inside certainly one of Scheffler, with Taylor rolling in from 35 toes to affix the Spaniard in tied-second.

Nick Taylor blended seven birdies with a lone bogey through the closing day

Taylor scrambled par on the seventh and claimed second on his personal when Rahm bogeyed the subsequent, with the Canadian becoming a member of Scheffler in making a close-range birdie on the ninth to remain one behind on the flip.

Scheffler misplaced his outright benefit when Taylor flicked a wedge on the tenth to a few toes and made a fifth birdie of the spherical, whereas Rahm needed to make a 20-footer simply to save lots of par on the subsequent and stay inside three of the lead.

Jon Rahm was chasing a 3rd PGA Tour victory of the 12 months

Taylor took benefit of the par-five thirteenth however discovered himself one behind when Scheffler drained a 30-foot eagle to get to 18 beneath, whereas Rahm made birdie after which salvaged a par on the fifteenth after virtually holing from the drop zone.

Scheffler acquired aid from close to the grandstand on the par-three sixteenth and recovered from a median chip to nail a 15-foot putt for par, which was sufficient to increase his lead when Taylor did not rise up and down from left of the placing floor.

Scottie Scheffler’s victory is his fifth PGA Tour title and first in 10 months

One other birdie on the driveable par-four seventeenth prolonged Scheffler’s cushion heading to the ultimate gap, the place a par was sufficient to say his first win of the season and make him the primary participant since Hideki Matsuyama to make back-to-back Phoenix Open victories.

Taylor birdied the final to say solo second and Rahm – certainly one of three gamers who may finish the week as world No 1 – completed third with a three-under 68, whereas 4 birdies within the final six holes lifted Justin Thomas to fourth spot.

Jason Day’s back-to-back 68s over the weekend earned the Australian a top-five end and England’s Tyrrell Hatton was within the group an additional shot again, whereas a hole-in-one on the par-three seventh from Rickie Fowler helped him end in a share of tenth on 10 beneath.

Scheffler “proud” to be again No 1

Scheffler’s profitable title defence comes on the identical venue the place he made his breakthrough PGA Tour title win 12 months in the past, with the newest victory seeing him returning to the world No 1 rating he held for 30 weeks from his WGC-Dell Applied sciences Match Play win final March to McIlroy’s profitable CJ Cup title defence in October.

“I am simply proud with how I fought right this moment,” Scheffler stated. “I did not have my finest stuff, however I grinded it out. I wasn’t hitting it good off tee, my irons did not really feel as sharp, however I performed an awesome spherical of golf right this moment.

“I began to construct some momentum early right this moment and noticed some putts go in, so I am actually grateful with the end result. It [returning to world No 1] feels fairly good!”

What’s subsequent?

The PGA Tour heads to California subsequent for the Genesis Invitational, the place 23 of the world’s high 25 and all of the main gamers within the FedExCup standings are as a consequence of function at Riviera Nation Membership.

Event host Tiger Woods will headline the sphere as he makes his first official begin since lacking the reduce at The Open in July, with the occasion his first look in a non-major PGA Tour occasion for the reason that Zozo Championship in October 2020.

Watch the Genesis Invitational all through the week stay on Sky Sports activities. Early protection begins on Thursday from 2.30pm on Sky Sports activities Golf, forward of full protection from 7pm.

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