World number one Scottie Scheffler has started the year on a high note after a four-shot victory at the American Express on Sunday.
The American finished the event at 27 under, with a final round score of six-under 66.
The win not only marked his first win of the year, but his 20th PGA Tour victory, putting him in an elite league along with Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus as men with 20 PGA Tour titles before age 30.
Scheffler entered the final day on the challenging Pete Dye Stadium Course one shot behind overnight leader Si Woo Kim at 21 under par.
He kicked off with a birdie on the first after a precise approach, but gave it back with a bogey on the second after missing a par putt.
Unshaken, he rebounded on the par-3 fourth, sticking an 8-iron to two feet for another birdie, then laid up smartly on the par-5 fifth and holed a pitch for yet another gain.
Birdies poured in at five and eight, capped by a slick downhill 12-footer on the ninth, sending Scheffler to the turn in four-under 32 with a four-shot edge over Kim and playing partner Blades Brown.
The back nine saw him continue his exploit with birdies at 12 and 14 via a wedge dart to tap-in range, taking his lead to six strokes.
Drama flickered on the infamous par-3 17th, where his tee shot splashed into the water, forcing a double-bogey five after a recovery chip and missed par save.
Scheffler, in his usual manner, shrugged it off, firing a final birdie on 18 from eight feet to close with nine birdies against two bogeys and that lone double, sealing his 20th PGA Tour win.
Kim stumbled to a one-under 67 for T-6, while teenage amateur Blades Brown, who started hot, carded two-over to slip to T-18. Jason Day, Ryan Gerard, Andrew Putnam, and Matt McCarty knotted for second at 23 under.
After the event, a joyful Scheffler described playing and winning PGA Tour events as a “blessing. “I did a good job of staying patient and executing when I needed to. It was a really solid day,” he said. “I always dreamed of being able to play on the PGA Tour, and it’s a blessing to be out here and compete. It’s an even bigger blessing to be able to win some tournaments.”
