Scottie Scheffler is still coming to terms with his new status as the number one golfer in the world after victory in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play final on Sunday.

The 25-year-old was still waiting on his first PGA Tour win at the start of February but has sensationally come out on top in three of his five entries since.

His latest triumph, secured with a 4 and 3 win over Kevin Kisner in Austin, made him the 25th man to lead the Official World Golf Ranking since its inception in 1986.

Scheffler moved to 3 up by the sixth hole and scarcely looked in trouble throughout, ultimately sinking a putt for par on the 15th to claim victory.

Displacing Spain's Jon Rahm at the summit and with his family watching on from the side, the American acknowledged afterwards he was yet to truly realise the magnitude of his new status.

"[It is] pretty cool to do that in front of my family," Scheffler said. "They've supported me so much along the way, and I really don't know what to say about that.

"I don't feel like number one in the world. I feel like the same guy I was four months ago, and I hope that doesn't change. Yeah, I don't feel any different."

Scheffler came second in last year's WGC Match Play, losing 2 and 1 to Billy Horschel in a painful defeat that has since played on his mind.

"[There was] definitely a lot of emotion coming off the green," he said. "It's been kind of a crazy past few months.

"I got my first win in Phoenix, and then I guess this is my third now, and golly, what a long week.

"I really don't know how to describe the emotion. I've thought about winning this tournament ever since last year.

"It left kind of a poor taste in my mouth, getting so close and ultimately coming up short. So it feels really good to finish the job this time around."

Scottie Scheffler is the new number one-ranked golfer in the world after defeating Kevin Kisner 4 and 3 in the WGC Match Play final on Sunday.

The 25-year-old American has dethroned Spain's Jon Rahm to become only the 25th man to hold the top spot on the Official World Golf Ranking since its inception in 1986.

It is Scheffler's third professional tour win of the season, after triumphs at the Phoenix Open last month and the Arnold Palmer Invitational three weeks ago.

Kisner, the Match Play champion in 2019 when he beat Matt Kuchar 3 and 2, struggled to best his opponent, who went 1up off the second tee and subsequently never relinquished his lead.

Scheffler, who saw off a Dustin Johnson fightback to win 3 and 1 in the semi-finals, built a commanding early advantage through the sixth hole, emerging 3up with a dozen to play,

Neither man was able to get the better of the other until the 14th hole, when Scheffler shot a smart birdie against Kisner's bogey to move four up with just four holes remaining.

It left Kisner needing to win on the 15th to keep the match going, but the 38-year-old could not force the game on, and with just two putts needed for the title, Scheffler made no mistake on the green.

Scheffler, who had ranked fifth in the world heading into the Match Play, becomes the ninth American to top the men's world rankings, and the first new USA native to rank first since Brooks Koepka in 2018.

Elsewhere, Johnson missed out on a podium finish as the two-time major champion went down 3 and 1 to Corey Conners.

The Canadian held his nerve from the 12th hole onwards after dropping back to a two-hole lead to claim third place on the 17th hole with a birdie.

Scottie Scheffler survived a spirited fightback from Dustin Johnson to win 3 and 1 and reach the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play final, where he will meet Kevin Kisner on Sunday.

Johnson made it past Brooks Koepka in a heavyweight last-16 clash on Saturday, but struggled in the early stages against world number five Scheffler at the Austin Country Club.

Scheffler produced three birdies in his opening four holes to go 3up and furthered his advantage on the eighth and 11th to take a five-shot lead.

Two-time major winner Johnson responded by claiming the next four holes – with Scheffler finding the water when inexplicably attempting to hit the green on the short par-four 13th – to tee up a thrilling finale.

Johnson then squandered a presentable birdie opportunity at the par-five 16th to fall two behind again before Scheffler secured victory on the following hole to reach his second consecutive Match Play final.

Victory in the final would also see Scheffler move to the top of the world rankings if he can defeat Kisner, who came out on top in a topsy-turvy clash with Corey Conners in the other semi-final.

The pair could not be separated as they repeatedly exchanged the lead through 16 holes before Kisner nudged ahead with a birdie on the penultimate hole as Conners pushed his putt wide in response.

Kisner, who lifted the Match Play trophy in 2019, delivered an expert chip with his second shot on the 18th to close out victory and ensure he remains in the hunt for the title.

Dustin Johnson got the best of Brooks Koepka in a heavyweight matchup to finish 2 up in their WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play quarter-final.

After Johnson got through Richard Bland and Koepka made it past Jon Rahm earlier on Saturday, the two former major champions went all 18 holes before Johnson won the last to turn 1 up into 2 up and avoid a playoff.

It was a great start for Koepka, winning two of the first three holes, but Johnson found his touch going into the seventh and went on to claim four holes and tie the rest from that point.

Scottie Scheffler passed his test against Seamus Power with flying colours, winning three and two with a strong back-nine.

Winning two holes apiece on the front nine, it was all Scheffler down the stretch, including winning the two par fives (holes 12 and 16) by two strokes to wrap things up with a couple holes to spare.

Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka will face off in the last-16 at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, after they secured progression from the group stage on Friday.

Top-seed Rahm was defeated 3 and 2 by Patrick Reed, who was already eliminated, while Koepka needed a birdie on the last hole to beat Shane Lowry and go 3-0 in group play.

Scottie Scheffler and Billy Horschel set up a replay of last year's Match Play final, after they won their respective groups.

Following a loss to Ian Poulter in the second round of play, Scheffler recovered strongly to defeat Matt Fitzpatrick 5 and 4, before then taking the playoff out with both at 2-1. Horschel tied with Thomas Pieters after 18 holes to guarantee his place.

Dustin Johnson went 3-0 in the group, after he was able to see off a closing two birdies from Max Homa and win 1-up.

He will face 49-year-old Richard Bland, who went 2 and 1 over countryman Lee Westwood to finish Group 9 with two wins and a tie.

Seamus Power lost his final game to Keith Mitchell in Group 4, but still managed to top the group and secure a last-16 tie against Tyrell Hatton. In the process, the 35-year-old Irishman has also secured his first Masters appearance.

Collin Morikawa secured passage to the knockout phase, defeating Jason Kokrak 1-up, while Adam Scott, Abraham Ancer, Kevin Kisner also managed to make the last-16.

Meanwhile at the Corales Puntacana Championship, Ben Martin leads Alex Smalley by two strokes after 36 holes, shooting another six-under 66 for the day.

Shane Lowry made the biggest noise at TPC Sawgrass, even though Anirban Lahiri leads The Players Championship after the close of play on Sunday.

The Irishman hit a hole-in-one on the notorious par-three island green 17th hole, using a pitching wedge and getting the ball past the pin, before rolling back and dropping in.

The 2019 Open Championship winner came into the third round at one-under par, and bogeyed the par-five 11th before birdieing the 14th and 16th in a chaotic back nine.

After holing from the tee on the 17th, Lowry celebrated wildly with playing partner and Ryder Cup teammate Ian Poulter, proceeding to throw his ball into the crowd.

It was a stark contrast to the norm on the 17th, made even more treacherous with a stiff headwind, with Brooks Keopka and Collin Morikawa among those to put shots into the water.

On another weather-interrupted day, Lahiri leads the pack, managing to finish 11 holes on nine-under par overall as darkness descended on Sawgrass. The world number 322 bogeyed the first hole of the back nine, but steadied to birdie the par-five 11th.

Stormy weather in the Florida region has wreaked havoc on scheduling and bad light eventually stopped play on Sunday. The third round will finish on Monday, with all players at least managing to finish nine holes.

Tom Hoge and Harold Varner III are currently one shot back from Lahiri on eight-under par. Hoge bounced back from a bogey on the sixth, birdieing on the par-five ninth hole to close out his Sunday.

Sebastian Munoz, Paul Casey and Sam Burns are tied at seven-under overall, with Francesco Molinary, Daniel Berger, Camero Smith and Doug Ghim one further stroke back. at six-under overall.

With the second round finishing early on Sunday, Rory McIlroy only just managed to make the cut at two-over par. Driving into the water on the 16th, pars on the final two holes saved him, as two balls into the water from Scott Piercy on the 17th and missed the cut.

Having also just made the cut after 36 holes, FedExCup leader Scottie Scheffler is at one-over par, birdieing the par-five 16th to finish nine holes for the third round.

Scottie Scheffler backed up last month's Phoenix Open triumph by taking out the Arnold Palmer Invitational by one stroke after a final round of 72 at Bay Hill on Sunday.

Scheffler carded an even-par round with three birdies and three bogeys to finish five under and one shot ahead of Viktor Hovland, Billy Horschel and Tyrrell Hatton – who stormed 10 places up the leaderboard with a final-day 69 to earn a tie of second.

The 25-year-old Scheffler made his move on the third day, with a five-under 68 launching him into contention. American Scheffler will now move up to fifth on the official world rankings.

Joint overnight leaders Horschel and Talor Gooch lost their grip on top spot, with the former making three bogeys and a double bogey on his final-day front nine before finishing with a three-over 75.

Gooch ended up two further strokes back with a five-over 77 after four bogeys and two double bogeys on his front nine.

Norwegian world number four Hovland loomed as the likely player to capitalise on their misfortune, as he assumed the lead.

But five bogeys in Hovland's closing 11 holes left the door open for Scheffler, who held his nerve, notably making an excellent long putt to save par on the 15th hole.

"It feels great, especially to win on such a difficult golf course and the way it finished," Scheffler told Sky Sports.

"I didn't play my best stuff, I just kept grinding and made some key putts down the stretch, and it was really just a fight all day."

First-round leader Rory McIlroy never threatened on Sunday, with a four-over-76 meaning he finished back at one over after 72 holes.

World number one Jon Rahm was one stroke behind the Northern Irishman after a final-round 74.

Norwegian world number four Viktor Hovland surrendered his lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational with two bogeys to finish the third day at Bay Hill on Saturday.

Hovland, who was the leader at halfway, carded a three-over 75 with six bogeys, saving face with a hole-out eagle from the bunker on the sixth and birdie on the eighth.

The Norwegian had retained his lead until bogeys on 17 and 18 allowed American pair Billy Horschel and Talor Gooch to claim a share of the lead.

Horschel and Gooch are seven-under after 54 holes, with Hovland one stroke back, followed by Scottie Scheffler at five-under after he carded a joint round-high four-under-68.

"I was really in a good rhythm until some bad shots on the back nine," Hovland told reporters.

On his hole-out eagle, he added: "That was awesome. Obviously, not the greatest start to the day. Even the pars that I made on the next few holes was really scrappy. Hit some really bad shots.

"Then obviously walking up to the greenside bunker on that hole was hard on the downslope and no green to work it. I thought I was in no man's land, just try to chunk it out there and give myself a putt at it. It came out really soft and landed in the first cut and just died and went in."

Horschel carded a one-under-71 to claim the joint lead, with three bogeys and four birdies, including closing out with an important birdie putt.

Gooch had an even round for 72, bogeying the 18th to settle for a share of the lead after he had birdied both the 15th – with a 33-foot putt - and 16th.

Scheffler surged up 16 spots and into contention with a round that included three birdies and an eagle on his back nine. The American rolled in a 21-footer for eagle on the 16th.

Max Homa, playing alongside Scheffler, landed a rare ace on the 14th hole although he is off the pace with an even card overall in a group featuring top-ranked Jon Rahm.

Gary Woodland is behind Scheffler at four-under, with Rory McIlroy among a group of three at three-under ahead of the final day.

Joaquin Niemann extended his lead at the Genesis Invitational to three strokes after an eagle on the 10th hole on the third day at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California.

The Chilean, who led after both of the first two days, carded a six-under-round of 68 to be 19-under overall, meaning his 194 across 54 holes is a course record. He leads from Cameron Young who is 16-under.

Young's double bogey on the 16th hole opened up a big gap at the top, with Viktor Hovland moving into third with a six-under-65 but he is six shots behind Niemann at 13-under.

Niemann carded four birdies on the front nine, before the highlight of his day with an eagle on the 10th after an aggressive drive.

The eagle took world number 32 Niemann to 21-under before two bogeys in his final seven holes, although Young was unable to make any major inroads.

Norwegian world number four Hovland was the big mover on Saturday, with five birdies on the front nine, although bogeys on the 14th and 15th slowed his charge.

Former PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas is one stroke behind the Norwegian after a one-under-70, while second-ranked Collin Morikawa is a further shot back after his three-under-68 took him to 11-under overall.

Last week's Arizona Open winner Scottie Scheffler also managed a six-under-round to be tied on 10-under alongside Maverick McNealy, Marc Leishman and Max Homa.

Rory McIlroy carded a four-under-67 to be seven-under and tied in a large group that includes three-time major champion Jordan Spieth who struggled with a two-over-73 with three bogeys and one birdie for the day.

Scottie Scheffler edged Patrick Cantlay in a three-hole playoff to clinch the Phoenix Open title marking a dramatic turnaround after narrowly avoiding the cut on Friday.

World number 15 Scheffler and reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year Cantlay faced off after both finished 16-under-par following final day rounds of four-under-67.

Scheffler, who avoided the cut by one stroke, claimed the title with a birdie on the third hole of the playoff as Cantlay could only make par.

The 25-year-old American, who resides in Dallas, landed his second shot from the bunker on the green, before sinking a 26-yard putt for the decisive birdie, with Cantlay unable to match that.

The victory marks 2021 US Ryder Cup team member Scheffler's first PGA Tour title, having finished in the top 10 of three majors last year.

Scheffler had birdies on the 15th and the 17th holes to force his way into a playoff, although he almost won it outright on the 18th but missed a birdie putt from five feet.

Overnight leader Sahith Theegala found the water off the tee on the penultimate hole leading to a bogey that saw him slip from the lead.

Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka stormed into contention late, with three birdies and a bogey on his final four holes but fell short of the playoff.

Koepka and Theegala finished tied for third with Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Xander Schauffele at 15 under.

Scheffler had surged up the leaderboard on the third day with a nine-under-62 and backed that up with another strong round on Sunday.

Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel turned in a nine-under 63 in four-ball play to take the lead after the third round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. 

The South African duo are 19-under for the tournament and were one of six teams to record a 63, vaulting them past second-round leaders Tony Finau and Cameron Champ by a stroke. 

Australians Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith also shot nine-under and are tied for second with the American pair. 

The top of the leaderboard at TPC Louisiana is crowded, with Bubba Watson and Scottie Scheffler sitting two shots back along with first-round leaders Viktor Hovland and Kris Ventura. 

The tournament, which switched to a team event in 2017, features four-ball in the first and third rounds and foursomes in the second and fourth. 

Three teams are at 16 under and nine more at 15 under, with the latter group including defending champions Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer. 

The shot of the day belonged to Sam Ryder, who holed a five iron from 206 yards at No. 2 for a double eagle -- the first at the tournament since Rob Oppenheim did it in 2018.

 

 

 

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