It had become easy to forget what a Scottie Scheffler procession looked like. Until now. The world No 1 was without a win – mostly thanks to his putting – in an official PGA Tour event since last year’s Players Championship until decimating the field at this Arnold Palmer Invitational. The Texan’s results included a series of top-10 finishes – plus success at the Hero World Challenge – since exiting Sawgrass 12 months ago, with putting woes undermining hopes of adding to his trophy collection.
On the brink of his Players return, Scheffler led the rest of the Bay Hill draw a merry dance. He started the day tied for the lead with his playing partner Shane Lowry. By the time Scheffler holed from 35ft for a birdie at the 15th, his advantage was six. Lowry could only look on in awe. “There’s probably only a couple of players in the world that can live with him playing like that,” he said. “Not sure I’m one of them.”
Scheffler’s bogey-free 66 gave him a five-shot win from last year’s US Open winner Wyndham Clark. He is now $4m (£3.1m) richer after a second Arnold Palmer triumph and is already the strong favourite to complete another double at Augusta National next month, having done so two years ago.
“I know that I can putt really well,” the 27-year-old said. “It isn’t like I have been a bad putter my whole career. I just had a spell that was tough. Golf looks pretty easy on TV. When you are out here competing on the PGA Tour, it is difficult. There had been a lot of chatter about my game and where it was at. So it was nice to come here and perform so well under pressure.”
Lowry is due praise for his recovery from a messy start. The Irishman bogeyed the 1st, 2nd and 7th but was even for his round when taking to the 17th tee. His 72 was good enough for third.
Will Zalatoris earned an Open Championship berth as he shared fourth with Russell Henley. Zalatoris’s return to prominence has been exceptional after he missed close to a year of competitive action because of back surgery.
Rory McIlroy began day four sitting four shots adrift of Scheffler. His troubles began early; he was five over after eight. The Northern Irishman will head to Sawgrass on the back of a 76, his highest score of the week, which left him outside the top 20.
McIlroy tipped his hat to the champion. “Being as consistent as Scottie has been is really, really difficult in this game,” he said. “Anyone can pop up and win an event here or there or get on a good run, but the consistent performances that Scottie’s been putting in week in and week out every time he tees it up, it is incredible.
“This is a super-tough golf course and to be six under today, going out with the lead and lapping the field is super-impressive. But we all knew that he had this in him. His ball-striking is, honestly, on another level compared to everyone else right now. We knew if he started to hole putts, then this sort of stuff would happen.”
