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Wyndham Clark was left devastated after a close lip-out at The Players Stadium Course’s par-4 18th hole cost him the playoff. The 30-year-old golfer, who scored back-to-back birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 on Sunday, missed the putt on the final hole of regulation to force a playoff with Scottie Scheffer. The 17-foot putt caught the hole’s left side and spun out.
Following this, a heartbroken Clark questioned ‘how that putt didn’t go in.’ The 2023 US Open champion said he was “pretty gutted” about the missed putt, which cost him the massive $4,000,000 winner’s paycheck. He watched on as Scheffler lifted the trophy for the second consecutive year.
Speaking to the media shortly after his missed putt, Wyndham Clark said, as quoted by PGATOUR.com:
“I don’t know how that putt doesn’t go in… It was coming with some speed, too. I don't know how that putt doesn't go in. 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 good inside left, and even when it kind of lipped, I thought it would lip in. I'm pretty gutted it didn't go in.”
Clark even stated that the points and money he won for finishing second didn’t matter. The 3x PGA Tour winner confessed that he always dreamt about making a crucial putt that either forced a playoff or won him a tournament. He admitted to being “pretty bummed” that he couldn’t have “one of those really awesome moments.”
The golfer was visibly devastated. He took a while to calm himself down after the event. Despite the heartbreak, Clark kept composure and went out to sign for his fans at TPC Sawgrass. Notably, he returns home with a $1,981,667 paycheck for finishing T2 alongside Xander Schauffele and Brian Harman.
Scottie Scheffler wins The Players Championship 2024
Scheffler became the first player to successfully defend the title at The Players Championship. The 27-year-old golfer fended off Clark, Schauffele and Harman by a shot to win on Sunday. The World No.1 golfer, who overcame a neck injury and a record five-shot deficit in the final round, bagged the winner’s paycheck of $4,500,000.
Scheffler hit an eight-under 64 to win the 50th edition of The Players, often referred to as golf’s fifth Major. He won the PGA Tour's flagship tournament by one shot on 20 under. Clark’s monumental miss on the final hole came of help for the champion. Schauffele and Harman also missed putts to force a play-off.
It is pertinent to note that Scheffler had come into the Florida event as a favorite. Despite a shaky start, the golfer held on with good odds. The ace golfer held his nerves and became the first-ever player to defend The Players title.
