dp world tour yesterday

Porsche Singapore Classic

Latest golf videos, mcilroy jumpy after being startled by a frog before chip shot.

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Interest-Based Ads
• About Nielsen Measurement
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Disney Ad Sales Site
• Work for ESPN
• Corrections

Livesport.com: DP World Tour golf scores

Golf DP World Tour

• CBSSports.com
• Fanatics Sportsbook
• CBS Sports Home
• NCAA Tournament
• W. Tournament
• Champions League
• Motor Sports
• High School
• Horse Racing 

Men's Brackets

Women's Brackets

Fantasy Baseball

Fantasy football, football pick'em, college pick'em, fantasy basketball, fantasy hockey, franchise games, 24/7 sports news network.

• CBS Sports Golazo Network
• March Madness Live
• PGA Tour on CBS
• UEFA Champions League
• UEFA Europa League
• Italian Serie A
• Watch CBS Sports Network
• TV Shows & Listings

The Early Edge

A Daily SportsLine Betting Podcast

With the First Pick

NFL Draft is coming up!

• Podcasts Home
• Eye On College Basketball
• The First Cut Golf
• NFL Pick Six
• Cover 3 College Football
• Fantasy Football Today
• Morning Kombat
• My Teams Organize / See All Teams Help Account Settings Log Out

DP World Tour Championship leaderboard: Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton share Round 1 lead in Dubai

Rory mcilroy and jon rahm are also still within striking distance of the season-long points race.

Three major winners emerged as the favorites to win the DP World Tour Championship earlier this week, and one of them co-leads in Dubai after Round 1 as the DP World Tour season comes to a close. Matt Fitzpatrick, who has won two of the last six season-ending tournaments on this golf course, shot a 7-under 65 and is tied with Tyrrell Hatton after 18 holes of play.

For a while, it looked as if it might be even better than that. Fitzpatrick birdied his first five holes before cooling off and playing the next 13 in just 2 under. Still, it's an ideal start for the reigning U.S. Open champion as he looks to cap what has been a spectacular year with a second win and, potentially, his first Harry Vardon trophy, given to the player who tops the DP World Tour's season-long points race.

"I was laughing to be honest [about the hot start]," Fiztpatrick said. "I said to [caddie] Billy [Foster] yesterday, 'When we won in 2020, didn't we have four in a row?' Then we did four in a row and we laughed about that, then I made a fifth. It was a nice start to the day."

Seventh birdie of the day 💪 @MattFitz94 ties the lead. #DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/i2isf1ahzP — DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 17, 2022

Hatton, too, had a nice start to his day. He birdied four of the first seven, and then four more after that before making his only bogey of the day (a six on the 18th hole). He fell into a tie with Fitzpatrick because of a mistake at the last but is still in a good spot to get what would be his first win since Abu Dhabi at the start of 2021.

"I'm surprised to hear it's my lowest round to start with [at this event]," said Hatton. "Obviously it was a good day. Hit a lot of good shots. Putter was great. Kind of happy with that start. Although my head's a bit fried at the moment. My mind is just raging at the last there. But it is what it is."

Those two lead a resurgent Alex Noren by one and Adri Arnaus by two, but the bigger names and more feared players are further back. Tommy Fleetwood is 4 under; Jon Rahm is 2 under; pre-tournament favorite Rory McIlroy is 1 under; Shane Lowry is 1 over; and Viktor Hovland is 2 over. That's a lot of ground for nearly everyone in this group to make up on two Ryder Cup-level players like Fitzpatrick and Hatton.

"I play well here," said McIlroy. "[I was] 3 under through eight holes. I'm not -- it's not far away. It's not as if there's anything that I need to drastically work on. And yeah, thankfully there's three rounds left, go out and shoot a good one tomorrow and be ready for the weekend."

Rory McIlroy opened with 71 today at the DP World Tour Championship. Incredibly, it's his highest opening round score worldwide since a first round 73 at the Masters. — Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) November 17, 2022

The silver lining for McIlroy is two fold. One, there's plenty of time left to make up a lot of ground, and he's perhaps the best ever on this golf course (although Fitzpatrick is terrific as well). Two, McIlroy only narrowly trails Fitzpatrick for the season-long points race. Even if Fitzpatrick wins, McIlroy can still win the race by finishing second in this field.

Regardless, the tone has been set by two Englishmen for this week's tournament. Several other superstars are chasing, but running down one of Hatton and Fitzpatrick will be difficult enough. To get by two of them will be, if it happens, an extraordinary feat.

DP World Tour Championship Odds

• Matt Fitzpatrick: +230
• Tyrrell Hatton: +450
• Rory McIlroy: +750
• Alex Noren: 9-1
• Jon Rahm: 9-1
• Tommy Fleetwood: 11-1

Fitzpatrick and McIlroy have changed positions here. McIlroy was shorter than 3-1 to win coming into this week, and Fitzpatrick was 9-1 before his 65 in the first round. I'm hesitant about the players beyond Hatton because of how quality the top two are, and I'm glad to have picked Fitzpatrick at 9-1. However, if I have to take somebody outside of the top two, I'm going with Fleetwood, who is coming off a win last week in South Africa and just three back.

Our Latest Golf Stories

2024 Masters odds, computer picks, bets, field

Cbs sports staff • 4 min read.

2024 Masters best bets, props, expert picks

Cbs sports staff • 3 min read.

How to watch 2024 Valspar Championship

Patrick mcdonald • 2 min read, 2024 valspar championship picks, predictions, odds.

Rahm ready to challenge Scheffler at 2024 Masters

Patrick mcdonald • 3 min read.

2024 Valspar Championship preview, expert picks

Patrick mcdonald • 5 min read.

Fitzpatrick, Hatton top Dubai leaderboard after Round 1

Is Scheffler the best on PGA Tour since Tiger?

Valspar Championship expert picks

Scheffler proves better than we realized

Rahm ready to fend off Scheffler at 2024 Masters

PGA Tour leaders meet with Saudi PIF boss in Bahamas

Purse and payouts for 2024 Players Championship

J.T., Spieth among notables to miss cut at The Players

Golfer makes hole-in-one on 17th after eagle on 16th

Davis Love III enthused about golf's young stars

• Transfer Centre
• Live on Sky
• Get Sky Sports
• Kick It Out
• Black Lives Matter
• British South Asians in Football
• Work @ Sky Sports
• Terms & Conditions

DP World Tour Championship: Matt Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton share early lead in Dubai

Matt Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton both carded opening-round 65s in Dubai; DP World Tour rankings leader Rory McIlroy six back after a one-under 71; Watch the DP World Tour Championship live on Friday from 5am on Sky Sports Golf

Thursday 17 November 2022 15:00, UK

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Matt Fitzpatrick made the dream start to his bid for a third DP World Tour Championship victory by grabbing a share of the lead after a low-scoring opening day in Dubai.

Fitzpatrick, who won the season-ending event in 2016 and 2020, birdied each of his opening five holes on his way to a brilliant bogey-free 65 at Jumeriah Golf Estates.

The US Open champion sits on seven under and tied at the top of the leaderboard with compatriot Tyrrell Hatton, who held the outright lead until a final-hole bogey, with Alex Noren a shot off the pace in third spot ahead of Spain's Adri Arnaus.

• DP World Tour Championship: Latest scores
• Who can top of the DP World Tour rankings?

Fitzpatrick, entering the week third in the season-long standings and one of seven players still in the running to win the Harry Vardon Trophy, would leapfrog Rory McIlroy and Ryan Fox at the of the DP World Rankings if each of the trio ended the week in their current leaderboard positions.

"The biggest thing I'm so pleased about today is hitting 17 greens," Fitzpatrick said. "The one I missed I was a complete idiot, so that was the big thing for me. I kept giving myself chances and putted really well."

• Premier League Darts LIVE! Humphries faces Smith in Dublin finale
• Leicester charged by Premier League over alleged PSR breach
• Mischaracterised White is a loss to England
• Saka pulls out of England squad
• Transfer Centre LIVE! Barca chief predicts Mbappe 'problem' for Real
• Hamilton: W15 is not 'evil sister' of previous Mercedes cars
• Man Utd rumours: Keane and Neville weigh in on Southgate talk
• Littler faces Smith on Night Eight in Dublin: Premier League fixtures
• Euro 2024 play-offs: Wales' final hurdle - and tough group in wait
• Premier League Darts table after Night Seven
• Latest News

Live DP World Tour Golf

Fitzpatrick shares early lead

The Englishman birdied the first and rolled in from 15 feet at the par-five second after missing the green in two, with Fitzpatrick following further gains over the next two holes by almost holing his approach into the par-four fifth.

A birdie at the eighth saw Fitzpatrick reach the turn in 30 and another from 18 feet at the par-five 14th moved him back into a share of the lead, with the 28-year-old closing his blemish-free start with four consecutive pars.

DP World Tour Championship scores

Who can top DP World Tour rankings?

Latest DP World Tour news and video

When is DP World Tour live on Sky?

Seventh birdie of the day 💪 @MattFitz94 ties the lead. #DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/i2isf1ahzP — DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 17, 2022

Hatton posted four birdies in his opening seven holes and charged up the leaderboard with four consecutive birdies from the 13th, including from 65 feet at the 16th, only to find the water his approach into the par-five last on his way to a closing bogey.

"Obviously it was a good day," Hatton said. "Hit a lot of good shots. Putter was great. Kind of happy with that start. My head's a bit fried [after the 18th]. My mind is just raging at the last there. But it is what it is."

Last week's Nedbank Golf Challenge winner Tommy Fleetwood is in the group on four under that contains fellow Englishman Callum Shinkwin, with Scotland's Richie Ramsay four off the pace in tied-tenth and Jon Rahm among the large contingent on two under.

McIlroy - who began the week with a 128-point advantage over Fox in the DP World Tour rankings - mixed five birdies with four bogeys in a one-under 71, while his New Zealand playing partner bogeyed two of his opening three holes on his way to an opening-round 73.

"I've had three weeks off since the CJ Cup, so I'll trying to knock the rust off a little bit there," McIlroy said. "Was enough good stuff in there. I made five birdies and hit some decent shots. Yeah, just need to be a little tidier tomorrow."

Shane Lowry joined Fox on one over despite making five birdies during an eventful opening round, as Viktor Hovland - needing a win to have a chance of topping the DP World Tour rankings - posted two double-bogeys on his back nine to post an opening-round 74.

Watch the DP World Tour Championship throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Friday with Featured Groups from 5am on Sky Sports Golf, ahead of full coverage from 7am.

How to watch Premier League, F1, EFL, WSL, Miami tennis and more

• Stream with NOW

• Upgrade Now

DP World Tour Championship | Round 3 highlights

Golfers Try… Piña Colada

DP World Tour Championship | Day 4 highlights

Nicolai Højgaard: This is the sweetest way to finish the year. The win is for my family

Nicolai Højgaard is confirmed as winner of the 2023 DP World Tour Championship

Nicolai Højgaard makes fifth birdie in a row at the 17th to move back into the lead

Viktor Hovland's laser-like approach shot sets up birdie at 16th

Nicolai Højgaard continues birdie run at the 16th

Tommy Fleetwood moves back into a share of the lead with birdie at 15th

Adrian Meronk: I am very proud of everything I have achieved this season

Thriston Lawrence | Round 4 | Hole 18

Jon Rahm birdies 15th to continue Sunday charge

Tyrrell Hatton finishes final round in Dubai with an eagle

DP World Tour Partners

Valspar Championship

Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead Course)

Payday in Dubai

Here's the prize money payout for each golfer at the 2023 DP World Tour Championship

Rory McIlroy and Nicolai Hojgaard walked away the big winners from this week's DP World Tour Championship. McIlroy won the overall points title for the fifth time while Hojgaard was the winner of the Tour Championship with a 21-under total.

David Cannon

An already memorable 2023 season on the DP World Tour for Nicolai Hojgaard—in which he played in his first Ryder Cup—got even more so on Sunday at the DP World Tour Championship. The 22-year-old Dane closed out the final round at the Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai with a eight-under 64 to charge past overnight leader Matt Wallace and claim victory with a 21-under 267 performance, two shots better than Wallace, Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland.

Hojgaard’s victory is the third of his career on the DP World Tour but his most lucrative. The first-place prize money payout was worth $3 million from an overall purse of $10.5 million. The payday from Sunday (€2,764,461 in Euros) amounts to more than 40 percent his entire career earnings to date on the DP World Tour (€6,380,134.75).

Here's the prize money payout for each golfer who competed in the DP World Tour’s season finale.

More From Golf Digest

Win: Nicolai HØJGAARD, -21, $3,000,000

T-2: Viktor HOVLAND, -19, $910,000

T-2: Tommy FLEETWOOD, -19, $910,000

T-2: Matt WALLACE, -19, $910,000

T-5: Thriston LAWRENCE, -17, $340,000

T-5: Jon RAHM, -17, $340,000

T-5: Matthieu PAVON, -17, $340,000

8: Victor PEREZ, -16, $240,000

T-9: Ewen FERGUSON, -15, $200,000

T-9: Jeff WINTHER, -15, $200,000

T-11: Tyrrell HATTON, -14, $153,000

T-11: Romain LANGASQUE, -14, $153,000

T-11: Antoine ROZNER, -14, $153,000

T-11: Rasmus HØJGAARD, -14, $153,000

T-15: Tom KIM, -13, $117,750

T-15: Min Woo LEE, -13, $117,750

17: Dan BRADBURY, -12, $110,000

T-18: Adrian OTAEGUI, -11, $99,000

T-18: Shane LOWRY, -11, $ 99,000

T-18: Ryo HISATSUNE, -11, $99,000

T-18: Robert MACINTYRE, -11, $99,000

T-22: Sepp STRAKA, -10, $86,625

T-22: Zander LOMBARD, -10, $86,625

T-22: Rory MCILROY, -10, $86,625

T-22: Julien GUERRIER, -10, $86,625

26: Thorbjørn OLESEN, -9, $80,000

T-27: Grant FORREST, -8, $72,600

T-27: Vincent NORRMAN, -8, $72,600

T-27: Yannik PAUL, -8, $72,600

T-27: Matt FITZPATRICK, -8, $72,600

T-27: Jens DANTORP, -8, $72,600

T-32: Adrian MERONK, -7, $65,000

T-32: Tom MCKIBBIN, -7, $65,000

T-34: Pablo LARRAZÁBAL, -6, $61,000

T-34: Ryan FOX, -6, $61,000

T-36: Nathan KIMSEY, -5, $57,000

T-36: Alexander BJÖRK, -5, $57,000

T-38: Daniel HILLIER, -4, $52,000

T-38: Lucas HERBERT, -4, $52,000

T-38: Sami VÄLIMÄKI, -4, $52,000

T-41: Sebastian SÖDERBERG, -3, $48,500

T-41: Connor SYME, -3, $48,500

T-43: Jorge CAMPILLO, -2, $46,500

T-43: Julien BRUN, -2, $46,500

T-45: Daniel BROWN, -1, $44,500

T-45: Marcel SIEM, -1, $44,500

47: Jordan SMITH, E, $43,000

48: Joost LUITEN, +3, $42,000

49: Matthew SOUTHGATE, +4, $41,000

50: Nacho ELVIRA, +6, $40,000

More from Golf Digest

Trending now.

Advertisement

Scottie scheffler makes pga tour history with 2024 players championship win, title defense, share this article.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Scottie Scheffler refused to relinquish the Players Championship trophy.

It didn’t matter if he suffered from neck pain, or if he fell as many as nine strokes off the pace in the third round, Scheffler made no excuses. He persevered until his neck improved on Sunday and fired a final-round 8-under 64 at the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass to edge Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman and Xander Schauffele, three of the top-10 players in the world, and become the first player to repeat as champion in the 50-year history of the Players.

“It’s tough enough to win one Players,” said Scheffler, whose final-round 64 tied for the lowest for a Players champion, joining Fred Couples in 1996 and Davis Love III in 2003, and he tied Justin Leonard in 1998 with his five-shot comeback. “So to have it back-to-back is extremely special.”

The Players, at long last, has a back-to-back winner for the first time. The two active PGA Tour events with the longest droughts without back-to-back winners are Colonial (Ben Hogan, 1952-53) and what's now called the Wyndham Championship (Sam Snead, 1955-56). — Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) March 17, 2024

The final round played out under glorious sunshine at the Pete Dye-designed masterpiece and turned into great theater on Sunday. Schauffele, the reigning Olympics champion, entered the final round with a one-stroke lead and remained in front with six holes to go thanks to a splendid short game. But he made back-to-back bogeys at Nos. 14 and 15 to drop two back. He bounced back with a birdie at 16 but missed a golden opportunity from 7 feet at 17. When his second shot at 18 flew 62 feet past the hole to the back ridge of the green, he placed his hands on his knees in disappointment as if he knew he’d let the title get away. Schauffele, who closed in 70, is winless the last six times he’s been in the final pairing.

“When I went to bed last night, it’s not exactly how I envisioned walking off the 18 th green,” Schauffele said.

Harman, the reigning British Open champion, rallied from an opening-round 72, and made four birdies in a five-hole stretch starting at No. 7 to join the fray. He closed to within one with a birdie at 15 but managed just pars on the closing three holes. His 17-foot birdie putt to force a playoff at 18 never had a chance and he closed in 68.

“I had my chances,” he said, “just didn’t cash in.”

Clark, the reigning U.S. Open champion, made bogey at 14 and fell to 17 under, but he added a birdie at 16 and stuffed his approach to 4 feet at 17 for another one. His 17-foot birdie putt at 18 was the last-ditch effort to force overtime and it caught the left lip and cruelly spun out the right side. Clark covered his mouth with his right hand in disbelief.

“I don’t know how that putt doesn’t go in,” said Clark, who shot 69. “It was kind of right center with like a foot to go, and I knew it was going to keep breaking, but it had speed and I thought it was going to go inside left, and even when it kind of lipped, I thought it would lip in. I’m pretty gutted it didn’t go in.”

Scheffler, who was warming up on the range in case of a playoff, heard a collective groan from the gallery that said it all. He won for the second straight week but this one was a pain in the neck – literally. On his second hole of his second round, he strained his neck while hitting a long iron that required two separate mid-round sessions with his personal physical therapist to continue and shot 69.

“I told my wife Friday night, I don’t see him playing this weekend,” said Scheffler’s caddie, Ted Scott. “His mobility was maybe 10 degrees.”

The 27-year-old Scheffler received treatment on his injury after the round, which also radiated pain to his right shoulder, and woke up the next day feeling a touch better. It hurt to finish his swing and he took one more club on most shots. As he put it, he “slapped it around,” somehow closing with four birdies in his final five holes on Saturday to stay in the trophy hunt.

“He found a way, which is what the great players do,” Scott said.

Scheffler said he felt “close to normal” on Sunday, though Scott isn’t buying it. On the range before the final round, Scheffler, who wore two strips of KP tape on the left side of his neck, asked Scott to check his alignment.

“When he opened up to hit the shot and looked at the shot, his hips opened up 20 degrees. He couldn’t turn his head (left),” Scott said. “I didn’t know how today would go. Adrenaline is a crazy thing.”

The juices were flowing when Scheffler holed out from 92 yards for eagle at the fourth hole. Scheffler clenched his fist, then slapped hands with Scott who flashed six fingers to Scheffler, noting it’s his sixth hole out of the season. Scheffler followed with an 18-foot birdie putt on 5. He caught fire around the turn making four birdies in a five-hole span beginning at No. 8.

“Maybe this could be our day,” Scott recalled thinking.

It didn’t hurt that Scheffler played bogey-free over his last 31 holes. At No. 11, Clark eyed the leaderboard for the first time all day and there was confirmation that Scheffler, who’d beaten him the week before too at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, had made his move. He chuckled and said, “Of course.”

Schauffele noticed the charge in front of him, too. “Just another week,” he said.

“He’s the best player in the world, and this is a championship golf course,” Harman said.

Indeed, Scheffler is going to be a pain in the neck to beat for some time. Scheffler splashed out of a pot bunker to a foot at 16 to set up his final birdie and reach 20 under, the lowest winning score at the Players since Greg Norman’s record 24 under aggregate in the 1994 Players.

Scheffler became the seventh man to win the Players multiple times, joining Jack Nicklaus, Hal Sutton, Davis Love III, Fred Couples, Steve Elkington and Tiger Woods. It marked Scheffler’s eighth wins in 26 months, and he’s got an iron-clad hold on world No. 1. But Scheffler isn’t the type to let any of it go to his head. He recalled that just last month he hit a tee shot at the Genesis Invitational and a fan yelled out, “Congrats on being No. 1 Scottie. Eleven more years to go.”

That’s all it will take to match Woods’s reign at the top of the mountain of men’s professional golf. He did note that he already matched Woods with two wins at the Players. After the trophy ceremony, Scheffler was prepping to take photos with his family and gripped the golden trophy loosely with one hand. His sister, Callie, offered to help him, but Scottie would hear none of it. “I’ve got it, I’ve got it,” he said.

He most definitely does – and for a second straight year.

More The Players

Wyndham clark's brutal lip out at 2024 players championship cost him as much as $2.5 million, scottie scheffler takes over top spot for most money won at players championship, scottie scheffler well on his way to winning hole-out bet with caddie ted scott, opinion: pga tour, liv golf must resolve their division for the good of game, and do it quickly.

Keep up with The Players Championship live coverage and leaderboard throughout the week.

Patrick Cantlay confirms meeting with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund for Monday

Xander Schauffele's coaching change, Wyndham Clark's chunk among takeaways from third round of 2024 Players Championship

Despite lingering neck injury, Scottie Scheffler's repeat hopes live on at Players Championship

2024 Players Championship Sunday tee times, how to watch PGA Tour at TPC Sawgrass

Most popular, who's in, who's out: check out the players currently bound for the 2024 summer olympics in paris, the list of top 18 money winners in pga tour history has plenty of surprises, best new golf irons you can buy in 2024, valspar championship 2024 odds, course history and picks to win, masters champions dinner menus over the last 30 years, here are the winningest south korean players in lpga history, q&a: joel dahmen on sports psychologists, waffle house and if he's in or out for 'full swing' season 3.

Cruel lip-out leaves Wyndham Clark one short of PLAYERS playoff

Change Text Size

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – How did that putt not go in? It’s a question Wyndham Clark might ask himself for a while.

After back-to-back birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 Sunday at the 50th edition of THE PLAYERS Championship, Wyndham Clark faced that putt , 17 feet for birdie on the final hole of regulation to force a playoff with Scottie Scheffler, who was in the clubhouse at 20-under.

The result is an addition to golf’s lore of oh-so-close closing moments.

Clark had played a perfect drive down the right center of the fairway at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course’s par-4 18th hole, setting up a 173-yard approach toward a front-left hole location. His short iron tracked toward the flagstick but landed in the front fringe and came up 17 feet short of the hole, setting up that putt to force extra holes.

That putt seemed perfect. But after the ball caught the hole’s left side and began to sink into the cup, it spun out with a horseshoe-shaped trajectory.

Wyndham Clark’s heartbreaking lip-out on the 72nd hole at THE PLAYERS

“I don’t know how that putt doesn’t go in,” Clark said shortly afterward. “It was coming with some speed, too. It was kind of right-center with like a foot to go, and I knew it was going to keep breaking, but it had speed and I thought it was going to go inside-left, and even when it kind of lipped, I thought it would lip in. I’m pretty gutted it didn’t go in.”

Just like that, Scheffler became the first player to successfully defend THE PLAYERS title. Clark tapped in for par, tying Xander Schauffele and Brian Harman for second place.

Clark needed a moment to compose himself, his head in his hat, before exiting the green.

“You finish second, you get a bunch of points and money and all that stuff, but it just sucks,” Clark said. “I've always wanted and dreamt about making a putt that really mattered to either force a playoff or win a tournament, and I have yet to do it in my professional career, so I was pretty bummed that I didn't have one of those really awesome moments.”

Wyndham Clark risks it all to card clutch birdie at the island green at THE PLAYERS

Clark has ascended into the world’s elite tier in the past year, winning last year’s Wells Fargo Championship and U.S. Open before carding a third-round 60 to win this year’s rain-shortened AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. THE PLAYERS would have been his fourth win in 10 months.

After a bogey at No. 14, Clark needed late magic to force extra holes, and he nearly delivered. He made par on 15, then two-putted for birdie from 11 feet on 16; his eagle try just missed on the right edge. He played boldly to the back-right hole location on the island green par-3 17th, stuffing his tee shot to 4 feet for birdie on the hole that played as Sunday’s most difficult.

He did everything right across TPC Sawgrass' famed closing three holes, up until the final millimeters.

“I'm still a little beside myself,” he said. “I'm still shocked that putt didn't go in.”

Kevin Prise is an associate editor for the PGA TOUR. He is on a lifelong quest to break 80 on a course that exceeds 6,000 yards and to see the Buffalo Bills win a Super Bowl. Follow Kevin Prise on Twitter .