Tiger Woods remains only player to successfully defend WGC-Match Play title as Scottie Scheffler crashes out

Scottie Scheffler failed to defend his title in the 2023 WGC-Match Play and this being the last tournament, makes Tiger Woods the only golfer in history to successfully defend his title.

Since its inception in 1999, Tiger Woods has won the tournament three times and defended it once.

He first clinched the trophy in 2003 after beating David Toms with a score of 2&1. Woods regained the title in 2004 with a victory over Davis Love III with a score of 3&2.

Besides Woods, Jason Day and Geoff Ogilvy clinched the trophy multiple times but none of them defended it. Ogilvy won the Match Play in 2006 and then in 2009 for the second time, while Jason Day was the winner in 2014 and 2016.

Interestingly, Scottie Scheffler was the runner-up in 2021 before finally claiming the trophy in his name in 2022. Paul Casey is the only golfer to finish runner-up in the WGC Match Play two consecutive times. In 2009, Geoff Ogilvy snatched the trophy by registering a victory with a score of 4&3, while in 2010, Ian Poulter defeated him.

Reportedly, the PGA Tour has canceled Match Play for the 2024 season, which suggests no one can break the record set by Tiger Woods in the future unless the WGC Match Play doesn't return for other tournaments.

---

WGC-Dell Match Play winners over the years

1999

• Winner - Jeff Maggert
• Runner-up - Andrew

2000

• Winner - Darren Clarke
• Runner-up - Tiger Woods

2001

• Winner - Steve Stricker
• Runner-up - Pierre Fulke

2002

• Winner - Kevin Sutherland
• Runner-up - Scott McCarron

2003

• Winner - Tiger Woods
• Runner-up - David Toms

2004

• Winner - Tiger Woods
• Runner-up - Davis Love III

2005

• Winner - David Toms
• Runner-up - Chris DiMarco

2006

• Winner - Geoff Ogilvy
• Runner-up - Davis Love III

2007

• Winner - Henrik Stenson
• Runner-up - Geoff Ogilvy

2008

• Winner - Tiger Woods
• Runner-up - Stewart Cink

2009

• Winner - Geoff Ogilvy
• Runner-up - Paul Casey

2010

• Winner - Ian Poulter
• Runner-up - Paul Casey

2011

• Winner - Luke Donald
• Runner-up - Martin Kaymer

2012

• Winner - Hunter Mahan
• Runner-up - Rory McIlroy

2013

• Winner - Matt Kuchar
• Runner-up - Hunter Mahan

2014

• Winner - Jason Day
• Runner-up - Victor Dubuisson

2015

• Winner - Rory McIlroy
• Runner-up - Gary Woodland

2016

• Winner - Jason Day
• Runner-up - Louis Oasthuizen

2017

• Winner - Dustin Johnson
• Runner-up - Jon Rahm

2018

• Winner - Bubba Watson
• Runner-up - Kevin Kisner

2019

• Winner - Kevin Kisner
• Runner-up - Matt Kuchar

2021

• Winner - Billy Horschel
• Runner-up - Scottie Scheffler

2022

• Winner - Scottie Scheffler
• Runner-up - Kevin Kisner

2023

• Winner - Sam Burns
• Runner-up - Cameron Young

---

How many World Golf Championships has Tiger Woods won?

Tiger Woods has won 18 World Golf Championships in his career. He won the Match Play thrice and the Invitational eight times.

Here is the complete list of the World Golf Championships that Tiger Woods won over the years:

• 1999 WGC-NEC Invitational
• 1999 WGC-American Express Championship
• 2000 WGC-NEC Invitational
• 2001 WGC-NEC Invitational
• 2002 WGC-American Express Championship
• 2003 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship
• 2003 WGC-American Express Championship
• 2004 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship
• 2005 WGC-NEC Invitational
• 2005 WGC-American Express Championship
• 2006 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
• 2006 WGC-American Express Championship
• 2007 WGC-CA Championship
• 2007 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
• 2008 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship
• 2009 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
• 2013 WGC-Cadillac Championship
• 2013 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational