Sport Players Championship
$2.6 million – Perhaps the bitterest putt in golf history
As of: 9:41 a.m. | Reading time: 3 minutes
Here Clark is still in good spirits. Not anymore
Those: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
There is a drama on the last lane of the $25 million Players Championship. Wyndham Clark needs a birdie to get into the playoff. As the putt is on the way, he clenches his hand into a fist. The rest is disbelieving disappointment.
World number one Scottie Scheffler was the first golf professional to defend the title at the Players Championship in Ponte Vedra/Florida. After his coup from the previous year, the American won the top-class tournament in Ponte Vedra Beach with a total of 268 strokes and an extremely strong final round of 64.
“It is great. It’s something special,” said Scheffler. After the four major tournaments, the Players Championship is the most important individual competition in golf. And the PGA event with the most to win. $25 million was paid out this year, more than any major. Even fifth-placed Matt Fitzpatrick (England) collected more than a million dollars.
The lead held, albeit narrowly: Scottie Scheffler defended his title at the Players Championship
Those: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Scheffler received a whopping $4.5 million. And that was also because the 60,000 spectators at the facility saw perhaps the bitterest putt in golf history. He was played by Wyndham Clark, who was in the final pairing of the day with Xander Schauffele. By the time the two Americans reached the final hole, an iconic par four defended by water on the entire left side, their compatriot Scheffler had long since finished his round. He passed the time on the driving range and waited to see if anyone else would catch up with him.
Schauffele and Clark could have done this. They each needed a birdie, i.e. a three, to also get to 20 under par. Then there would have been a three-hole play-off for the big title. Schauffele missed his chance with a poor tee shot and an inaccurate shot onto the green that left him with a putt that was too long.
“I’m shocked,” says Wyndham Clark
But Clark hit the fairway with his first attempt and the green near the flag with his second attempt. He still had around five meters to bridge. As the ball was on its way, the US Open champion was so sure it would fall that he began to lunge and ball his right hand into a fist in a gesture of triumph.
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And the play equipment actually sank into the hole on the left side. But the ball didn’t fall. Instead, he turned around like a horseshoe and came back towards Clark. He took the cap off his head in disbelief, held it in front of his face and soon crouched down in disbelief.
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“I’m still a little beside myself,” he said later in a short interview: “I’m shocked that this putt didn’t go in.” In addition to missing the title, the failure was also worth a lot of money. Like the other two runners-up, Schauffele and Brian Harmann (also USA), Clark received around $1.89 million.
A sole second place would have brought him 2.72 million. So the putt definitely cost Clark $830,000. It would have been over 2.6 million if Clark had won the subsequent play-off against Scheffler. For a star like Clark, it’s probably less about the money and more about the missed opportunity to win one of the most important titles in the golf world. Who knows whether he will come so close to the legendary trophy again.
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Matti Schmid was far from that in the end, but the German still played a good tournament. With 280 strokes, he finished tied for 26th place after two good rounds at the start. Stephan Jäger failed to make the cut.
