After his latest reign, of four months, Rory McIlroy has been deposed as world No 1 by Scottie Scheffler as the American lifted his first title since last year’s Masters.
Phoenix was staging the Super Bowl on Sunday night, but before the NFL spectacular began the Arizona city witnessed a gripping finale that featured Scheffler defending his crown at TPC Scottsdale in impressive style.
When McIlroy finished the Waste Management Open in a tie for 32nd, the Northern Irishman was resigned to his ninth reign at the summit reaching an end. It was not just Scheffler who could usurp him, but Jon Rahm.
In the event, the Spaniard finished third, leaving a head-to-head between Canadian Nick Taylor and Scheffler.
More than a record 400,000 spectators flooded into TPC Scottsdale, with the stadium 16th hole becoming the centre stage. Earlier in the tournament – easily the largest, and most raucous event in tournament golf – the infamous par three featured a stripper running across the course.
There was something rather more wholesome for the gallery to cheer on this time around: In front of at least 20,000 fans, Scheffler, 26, enacted a clinical up and down to take a two-shot lead over Taylor, the world No 223 who staged an epic battle before his 65 resulted in a 17-under total, a few short of Scheffler who recorded his own 65.
Scheffler’s rewards did not end with the silverware and the head of the rankings, which the amicable Texan held for nearly six months before McIlroy hunted him down in October.
In response to the Saudi-funded LIV Golf circuit, the PGA Tour established 13 “elevated” events — outside the majors – and this was the first of these, with an overall purse of $20 million (£16.5million).
“This was where I won my first Tour win and this is so fun,” he said. “I don’t know how to put in this words, but it does feel pretty good to be world No 1.”
Scheffler picked up £3 million for this triumph, £500,000 more than he picked up at Augusta when he won his first major last year. Crazy, but that is male professional golf’s normal state at the moment.
There were 22 of the world’s top 25 playing and, although LIV will claim that without access to rankings points, this figure might be unrepresentative, there can be no doubt that this tournament’s stature has been dramatically raised. It seemed to be a statement by Scheffler.
However, there will be no panic from McIlroy. Anything but. Granted, he finished in a tie for 32nd on three-under after a closing 70, but he went into Phoenix with three wins in his previous seven events, and nothing lower than a fourth in the other four events.
As an indication of the 33-year-old’s consistency this was only the second time in his past 30 starts where he finished outside the top 20. McIlroy will have an immediate chance to reclaim the summit, at the Genesis Invitational that starts on Thursday.
Should he prevail at the revered Riviera Country Club for the first time then he will return to the top spot. However, Scheffler, McIlroy and Rahm will acknowledge, perhaps gratefully, that their battle will be the secondary headlines in Los Angeles. Tiger Woods plays competitively for the first time since the Open in July. Nothing elevates an event more than his presence.