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Scottie Scheffler earns $4.5million and replaces Jon Rahm as world No 1 after victory at The Players; Tyrrell Hatton secures second after brilliant finish at TPC Sawgrass, with Viktor Hovland tied-third alongside Tom Hoge

Scottie Scheffler secured a sixth PGA Tour title in 13 months and moved back top of the world rankings with a dominant five-shot victory at The Players.

Scheffler took a two-shot lead into the final day of the PGA Tour’s flagship event and never left top spot during an entertaining Sunday at TPC Sawgrass, with five consecutive birdies around the turn seeing him pull clear of the chasing pack.

The American – who only needed a top-five finish to reclaim world No 1 from Jon Rahm – carded a final-round 69 to end the week on 17 under and secure the $4.5million jackpot, with Scheffler comfortably ahead of nearest challenger Tyrrell Hatton.

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Tyrrell Hatton produced five birdies in a row to take the clubhouse lead and tie the back-nine scoring record at TPC Sawgrass during the final round

Hatton closed a sensational back-nine 29 with five consecutive birdies to finish on 12 under, while Ryder Cup team-mate Viktor Hovland ended the week a further two strokes back in tied-third with Tom Hoge and ahead of Hideki Matsuyama in fifth.

Scheffler the superstar at Sawgrass

Min Woo Lee – playing in the final group – immediately reduced the overnight advantage with a six-foot birdie at the first and then benefited from a drop near a sprinkler head in the rough to scramble a par at the next, where Scheffler also made a five after being unable to replicate the chip-in from the rough the previous day.

Scottie Scheffler played alongside Min Woo Lee on the final day at TPC Sawgrass

Scheffler slipped back into a share of the lead when he missed from five feet to save par at the third, where his playing partner got up and down to save par, although jumped three clear when Lee had to pitch out of thick rough and then found water at the fourth on his way to a triple-bogey seven.

Lee scramble par on his next two holes and drained a 30-foot birdie at the seventh to briefly get back within two, only for the Australian to bogey the next and found himself four behind when Scheffler chipped in from off the eighth green.

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Scottie Scheffler chipped in on the par-three eighth hole to extend his lead during the final round of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass

Hatton reached the turn level-par but followed a 20-foot birdie at the 10th by converting from six feet at the driveable 12th, with the Englishman then responding to a missed chance from 10 feet at the next by birdieing each of the final five holes to equal the lowest back-nine total in tournament history.

A 10-foot birdie at the last saw Hatton move to 12 under and temporarily within two of Scheffler, only for the Masters champion to take advantage of the par-five ninth and convert from 18 feet at the next to jump four clear of the field.

Scheffler two-putted from 70 feet to continue his run at the par-five 11th and holed from close range at the driveable next to make it five consecutive birdies, taking him six ahead, although had to settle for bogey at the 14th after pitching out from behind a bush.

Two-putt pars over the next three holes kept Scheffler in total control of the tournament heading to the par-four last, where he pitched out after a wayward drive hit a spectator before nailing a 20-foot par-save putt to seal an impressive victory in style.

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Scottie Scheffler sunk a 20ft putt to win the 2023 Players Championship to return to the top of the world rankings

“I did a really good job of staying patient, trying not to force things,” Scheffler said. “I got hot in the middle of the round and tried to put things away as early as I could. I am just trying to improve, not overthink things. I am seeing results and wins and am very thankful.”

Hovland threatened a charge for victory when he made four birdies in a five-hole stretch from the ninth, only to par his final five holes and remain on 10 under, while Hoge – who broke the course record on Saturday with a 10-under 62 – also had to settle for tied-third after a final-hole bogey.

Matsuyama also bogeyed the final hole to card a four-under 68, while Lee carded a four-over 76 on an eventful final day to end the week in the large group tied-sixth that also contained Justin Rose and Max Homa.

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Max Homa found the water on the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass to effectively end his chances of winning The Players Championship.

What’s next?

The PGA Tour stays in Florida next for the Valspar Championship at the Innisbrook Golf Resort, with early coverage live on Thursday from 11.30am on Sky Sports Golf.

Scheffler’s next two starts will see him attempt to defend titles, starting with the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin, Texas from March 22-26 before The Masters takes place at Augusta National from April 6-9.

Scottie Scheffler takes a two-shot lead over Min Woo Lee into the final day of The Players; English pair Aaron Rai and Tommy Fleetwood both in contention at TPC Sawgrass; Watch the final round live on Sunday from 2pm on Sky Sports Golf

The Players reaches its climax on Sunday, live on Sky Sports, with a host of possible storylines and scenarios to look out for on the final day at TPC Sawgrass.

Scottie Scheffler takes a two-shot lead into the final round after a brilliant seven-under 65 at the TPC Sawgrass, with Australia’s Min Woo Lee heading the chasing pack as he chases a first PGA Tour title.

A marathon Saturday saw Tom Hoge break the course record with a bogey-free 62 and Aaron Rai post the second hole-in-one of the week at the par-three 17th, with plenty of more interesting scenarios still a possibility at the PGA Tour’s flagship event…

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Nick Dougherty and Rich Beem take a look at the best from leader Scottie Scheffler’s third round at The Players Championship

Will Jon Rahm remain world No 1?

Rahm came into the week chasing a fourth win of 2023 and a sixth victory in 11 worldwide starts, only to be forced to pull out ahead of the second round due to illness and leave Rory McIlroy in a two-ball alongside Scheffler.

McIlroy missed the cut for a sixth time in his Players Championship career after rounds of 76 and 73 over the first two rounds, leaving Scheffler as the only player who can leapfrog Rahm at the top of the standings this week.

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Scottie Scheffler chips in a stunning hole-out from the rough to take the lead at 10 under

Scheffler just needs a top-five finish now to move to world No 1 for a third time, having held the ranking for a week between last month’s WM Phoenix Open title defence and Rahm’s Genesis Invitational victory.

The Masters champion will go out in the final group on Sunday as he chases a second win of the season and a sixth PGA Tour title in 13 months, with the victory offering the added incentive of a significant gap over his two nearest rivals at the top of the standings.

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Scottie Scheffler birdie putt from around six feet on the sixth hole somehow fails to drop and the leader gets just a par!

A breakthrough English victory?

It has been mentioned on numerous occasions throughout the week that The Players has never produced an English winner, although three Englishman in this week’s field still have a chance to create their own piece of history.

Five of the eight English players involved made it through to the weekend, with Justin Rose the first to play his way into contention despite finishing his third-round 67 with a bogey.

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Justin Rose says he nearly had a ‘special’ third round at The Players and is hopeful of putting a great round together on Sunday to put himself in the mix

Rose sits in the group on seven under and still with an outside opportunity to challenge for victory, with Tommy Fleetwood and Rai both two strokes closer to the lead after producing brilliant scoring bursts to each card a seven-under 65.

Fleetwood made five birdies in a seven-hole stretch to set an early clubhouse target on nine under, while Rai matched his compatriot’s total after posting birdies either side of that stunning ace at the par-three 17th.

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Tommy Fleetwood is hopeful of his chances on Sunday after a fantastic 65 in the third round of the Players Championship as he looks to become the first English winner

Rai becomes the first golfer in history to finish birdie-eagle-birdie eagle at The Players, with both he and Fleetwood looking to challenge for their maiden PGA Tour titles on Sunday.

A shock winner at Sawgrass?

Every previous Players Championship winner has been tied-11th or better heading into the final day, with Fleetwood and Rai joined by a host of other players inside that spot and chasing an elusive PGA Tour victory.

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Aaron Rai says his hole-in-one at the iconic 17th hole at The Players Championship felt incredible and is something he will always remember

Lee is a two-time winner on the DP World Tour but yet to enjoy success on American soil, while Christiaan Bezuidenhout – who posted an opening-round 65 the year the tournament was cancelled because of Covid-19 in 2020 – is also in the running going into the final day.

A third-round 66 lifted Taylor Montgomery into a share of 11th and in the group on seven under, but will the American be too far back – given the last 12 Players champions were within three strokes of the lead going into the final round?

Who will win The Players? Watch the final round live on Sky Sports. Live coverage of featured groups, featured holes and bonus groups begin behind the red button, with full coverage on Sky Sports Golf from 2pm.