Players Championship: Three takeaways from Scottie Scheffler's dominant victory at the Stadium Course

1. Scheffler overpowers the Stadium Course

Scottie Scheffler hit all the right ball-striking benchmarks in winning The Players by five shots on Sunday. He led the field in strokes gained tee-to-green, fourth in strokes gained approach the green, fifth in driving distance and tied for 17th in closest proximity to the green. He was also fourth in scrambling but that's just showing off.

2. Rising to the top

At the end of the third round, the top-10 included four players who were outside the top-100 in the world and only two among the top-20: Scheffler at No. 2 and Sungae Im at No. 18.

The cream not only rose to the top but it boiled over in the final round. A dozen players tied for sixth or higher, with Scheffler and Im joined by No. 24 Tyrrell Hatton, No. 11 Viktor Hovland, No. 33 Tom Hoge, No. 23 Hideki Matsuyama, No. 7 Max Homa and No. 37 Justin Rose.

3. It was not a normal week. It was better

Players Championship officials had been yearning for a week without drama off the golf course after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 tournament and limited attendance in 2021 (remember wearing masks outdoors, in 80-degree temperatures?); then Mother Nature's assault on the 2022 tournament.

With the exception of losing the last two hours of play on Friday due to a thunderstorm, the week was spectacular. The weather was perfect save for those two hours and First Coast golf fans responded accordingly, thronging to the course, especially on Saturday and Sunday.

The crowds also responded to new viewing areas near Nos. 8, 9 and 12. The crowds on the left side of the par-3 eight and the ninth tee were massive.

Those who flocked to No. 16 and 17 were treated to the first Players Championship in history with multiple holes-in-one at No. 17. Other areas, such as behind the fourth and 11th greens, continued to be prime spots.

Return to normalcy was the wish. Better than normal was the result.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Players Championship: Three takeaways from Scottie Scheffler's victory