Tiger Woods’ long-standing world ranking record is beaten by Scottie Scheffler following victory at the WGC Match Play.
Scottie Scheffler powered to victory in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play on Sunday to claim the world number one ranking from Spanish ace Jon Rahm.
In another milestone for Scheffler this year, the 25-year-old American eased past Kevin Kisner to complete a 4&3 victory at Austin Country Club.
Scheffler’s third PGA Tour victory of the year following wins at the Phoenix Open and Arnold Palmer Invitational saw him end Rahm’s 36-week reign at the top of golf’s global rankings.
Victory could not have been sweeter for Scheffler, the fifth seed who defeated former world number one Dustin Johnson in the semi-finals earlier Sunday and also eliminated defending champion Billy Horschel in the last 16 on Saturday.
Against the 29th seeded Kisner in Sunday’s final, Scheffler took control early on, going three up after six holes and playing flawlessly thereafter to retain his advantage.
Scheffler took the lead on the par-4 second hole when Kisner bogeyed after finding the greenside bunker with his second shot.
Scheffler then drained a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-3 fourth to go 2 up, and then two holes later extended his lead on the par-5 sixth with his third birdie of the round.
A superb third shot left him just two feet from the cup for the simplest of birdie putts while Kisner could only make par.
Scheffler then extended his lead on the 14th with another birdie, rolling in a 15-foot putt to leave Kisner four down with four to play and staring at defeat.
Kisner needed something special on the 15th but the writing was on the wall after he could only land his second 20 feet from the hole.
Kisner missed the birdie putt to leave Scheffler two putts to seal the championship.
After rolling his first short, Kisner conceded to complete a memorable tournament for Scheffler, beaten in last year’s final by Horschel.
Scheffler, who has now won three times in his last five PGA Tour starts, has shattered the record for fewest days between a first PGA Tour title and reaching the World No.1 spot.
Woods won his first PGA Tour title at the 1996 Las Vegas Invitational and then 252 days later went on to become the World No.1.
But Scheffler achieved the feat in the space of just 42 days.
David Duval ranks third in the list at 532 days, with Jordan Spieth in fourth at 763 days.
The only thing is that Woods held the World No.1 ranking for 683 weeks in total – a record that will likely never be beaten during our lifetime.
Since landing his maiden PGA Tour title at TPC Scottsdale 42 days ago, Scheffler has netted a cool $6.2 million.
That equates to $1.2 million per start, $269,565 per round and $15,196 per hole.
Scheffler will now look to continue his red-hot form as he heads into the year’s first major at The Masters in just over a week.
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