Arnold Palmer Invitational: Scottie Scheffler has Oscar worthy win

Scottie Scheffler proved why he’s one of the best participant on the earth on the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday.

He gained greater than 4 strokes on the greens, counting on his new mallet putter to separate himself from the sphere. Scheffler started the day tied with Shane Lowry at 9-under, however gained by 5 photographs after capturing a 6-under 66.

The 2022 Masters champion received off to a roaring begin, birdieing the primary gap proper out of the gate. In the meantime, Lowry, who performed alongside Scheffler within the ultimate group, made a sloppy bogey, rapidly giving the Texan a two-shot benefit.

Wyndham Clark additionally started his ultimate spherical with a gap birdie, which briefly tied the lead, however he gave that shot again on the powerful par-3 2nd, dropping again to 8-under and two behind Scheffler.

That was all the assistance Scheffler wanted as he paraded round Bay Hill with out dropping a shot. He deserved an Oscar Award for his efficiency Sunday, as he was the one participant throughout Sunday’s ultimate spherical to go bogey-free.

Photograph by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Photographs

Scheffler’s second birdie of the day got here on the par-5 sixth, which wraps round one in all Bay Hill’s large lakes. Tommy Fleetwood made information on this gap earlier within the week, going full ‘Tin Cup’ by making a ten on the opening.

Alas, Scheffler made it by means of his entrance 9 unscathed, carding a 2-under 34 to leap to 11-under for the championship. Each different participant who started their ultimate rounds within the prime 10 didn’t shoot under-par on the opening 9.

The common rating for these gamers was a 2-over 38.

And but, Scheffler marched on.

On the par-4 tenth, Scheffler made his third birdie, sticking his method from 90 yards out to eight toes away. He calmly made the putt to maneuver to 12-under.

On the subsequent gap, the difficult par-4 eleventh, Scheffler discovered his seventh fairway of the spherical, which gave him one other inexperienced gentle from 109 yards. He caught his second shot to inside 10 toes once more, resulting in his fourth birdie of the ultimate spherical.

By that time, Scheffler sat at 13-under and held a five-shot lead.

Photograph by Brian Spurlock/Getty Photographs

However he was not completed.

Three holes later, on the difficult par-4 fifteenth, Scheffler drained a 34-footer for birdie, his fifth of the day. He gained extra strokes together with his putter than some other participant on Sunday, a scary sight for the remainder of the sphere.

Contemplating how nicely Scheffler has performed tee-to-green, all he wanted was a midway respectable week with the putter to have an opportunity at victory.

He had that after which some this week, as his new mallet putter carried him to victory. For the week, Scheffler gained greater than 16 photographs complete, rating first. However he additionally ranked fifth in strokes gained placing, choosing up 4.347 photographs together with his flat stick.

For the season, Scheffler ranks 144th in strokes gained on the greens. It has been the one weak hyperlink in his recreation.

“It will be borderline unfair if he begins placing very well,” Clark stated of Scheffler.

“I by no means wish to want unwell on anyone, but when he begins placing constructive every week he’s going to be actually exhausting to beat. However that’s good. It’s simply going to push me to get higher in my ball placing and each a part of the sport. He’s form of the barometer proper now, and I’ve received plenty of room to catch up and get higher.”

Photograph by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Photographs

A lot to the dissatisfaction of others, Scheffler’s placing woes didn’t present up at Bay Hill. As a substitute, he dominated Arnie’s Place.

He picked up another birdie on the par-5 sixteenth and completed with two pars to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational for a second time.

“To be 6-under at present going out with the lead and simply form of lapping the sphere is tremendous spectacular, however all of us knew that he had this in him,” Rory McIlroy stated of Scheffler’s ultimate spherical.

“His ball placing is actually on one other stage in comparison with everybody else proper now. We knew if he began to gap putts, then this form of stuff would occur.”

His victory this week marks his first win for the reason that 2023 PLAYERS Championship almost one yr in the past.

Ought to his putter proceed to cooperate subsequent week at TPC Sawgrass, Scheffler may simply go back-to-back. He has discovered one thing together with his putter, and that ought to terrify the remainder of the game.

Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. You’ll want to try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.