Scheffler romps to Players Championship win, reclaims top ranking

It was another clinical effort from the unflappable American, who carded a final round three-under 69 on a gusty afternoon in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida for a commanding five-shot win over Briton Tyrrell Hatton (31), who closed with a superb 65.

A winning total of 17-under 271 brought Scheffler his sixth career title and second in his last four starts as the Masters champion signalled he is well prepared for next month's Green Jacket defence.

"Long day, tough day," said a relieved Scheffler. "I knew the conditions were going to get really hard late.

"I did a really good job of staying patient, not trying to force things, and then I got hot kind of in the middle of the round and tried to put things away as quickly as I could."

Scheffler, who needed to finish in a tie for fifth or better to reclaim the number one spot from Jon Rahm (28), started the day two clear at the top of the leaderboard and got his round off to a slow start by going one-over through seven.

But he stepped on the gas through the turn by carding five consecutive birdies from the eighth to pull away from the field, opening up a six-shot advantage on Hatton, who was bidding to become the first Englishman to win golf's unofficial fifth major.

Scheffler picked up his second bogey of the day at the 14th but steered clear of trouble the rest of the way home, including at the infamous par-three 17th island green.

Like Scheffler, Hatton could not get much going on his first nine and reached the turn at even par.

But the Englishman caught fire after that and carded seven birdies, including five straight, to bring his round to a spectacular end.

Norway's Viktor Hovland (68) and American Tom Hoge (70), who carded the Players Championship record low round of 10-under 62 on Saturday, finished in a tie for third seven shots behind at 10-under 278.