Only three players have won multiple times at the Players Championship. Scottie Scheffler not only joined them but made history in the 50th edition of the tournament by becoming the first to go back-to-back. 

“It’s tough enough to win one Players,” Scheffler said. “So, to have it back-to-back is extremely special.”

Battling a neck injury all week Scheffler proved to be a pain in the neck to a trio of impressive names Sunday afternoon. Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman came in as the last two major winners, while Xander Schauffele has been called the best current player to have not won a major. 

Known throughout the golf world as the “fifth major” the Players Championship had plenty of drama after Scheffler blistered the course with a bogey free 64 (-8) to finish at -20 under.

Harman, Clark and Schauffele were all playing behind Scheffler and all got to -19 with chances to tie. Only Schauffele birdied one of the easier par 5s, hole 16. Clark then took an aggressive line on the iconic par-3 17th and hit his tee shot within five feet. He’d sink the birdie putt to get to -19. 

One hole ahead Harman just missed a birdie putt on 18 and finished at -19 leaving Schauffele and Clark as the only ones left on the course. 

Clark hit a perfect drive down the right side of the fairway on 18 while Schauffele pushed his drive into the pine straw on the right. Clark’s second shot landed about 15 feet away from the pin on the front side of the green. Schauffele managed to hit the green but was about 30 feet away and would miss his putt ending his chances.

Clark’s putt looked good but ended up rolling a little way in and then popped out of the hole leaving Scheffler to celebrate on the practice green where he was warming up for a potential playoff.

“I don’t know how that putt doesn’t go in,” Clark said. “It was kind of right-center with a foot to go and I knew it was going to keep breaking. But it had speed and I thought it was going to go inside left. Even when it kind of lipped, I thought it would lip in. I’m pretty gutted it didn’t go in.”

Scheffler looked to be out of contention Saturday afternoon. Battling though a neck injury he finally heated up late in his round with birdies on four of the final five holes to keep his hopes alive.

“When you get an injury like that, if you wake up the next day feeling a little bit better or exactly the same, it’s a win. ”Scheffler said. “Usually, the morning after is worse. I woke up Saturday feeling a little better and I was able to hit some shots, but not too many. Today I woke up feeling fairly close to normal. I went out there and had a good round of golf.”

Scheffler didn’t exactly pick up where he left off Saturday as he posted par on his first three holes. Things got going with a bang on the fourth as he holed out for eagle from 92-yards away to get to 14 under. He would go on to birdie No. 5, No. 8 and No. 9 to get to 17 under.

Scheffler would tie for the lead at 19 under with back-to-back birdies on 11 and 12. Schauffele took the lead with a birdie on 12 but gave it up with back-to-back bogeys on 14 and 15.

Scheffler got to 20 under on the par-5 16th. He put his second shot in a small greenside bunker, but chipped out to within about one foot and sank the putt. He would never lose the lead from there.

His final round 64 matched Davis Love lll and Fred Couples for the lowest final round in Players history. He also became the first No. 1 player in the world to win back-to-back weeks on the PGA Tour since Rory McIlroy in 2012.