Xander Schauffele won the PGA Championship on Sunday at Valhalla Golf Club, finishing 21-under after birdying the 18th hole.
In the history of major championships, Schauffele’s four rounds of 263 strokes is the lowest scoring total.
Going into the last hole, Schauffele and 64-year-old Bryson DeChambeau were tied at 20 under. Having made a double bogey on the 17th hole to save par, Schauffele knew he would win the Wanamaker Trophy with a birdie on the 18th.
Schauffele can now claim to be a big champion for eternity because he accomplished that.
Schauffele was thinking about making a birdie put him ahead on the 18th fairway, and it felt like the conclusion of a golf movie. However, his tee shot on the lengthy par-5 didn’t produce the desired fade, thus his ball wound up in the rough right before the bunker.
Schauffele broke down his lie, knowing that if he made contact, the ball would create a large hook because his feet had to be in the bunker and it was much above them. Schauffele took a whirl after consulting with his caddie, and he was short of the green, right in the fairway, giving him a terrific opportunity to get it close with his next approach and have a birdie chance to win.
The ball had to be high above Schauffele’s feet, which he knew would create a large hook after he made contact, as he examined his lie. Schauffele took a wild stab at the shot after consulting with his caddie. He was short of the green and in the fairway, giving himself an excellent opportunity to make it close with his subsequent approach and secure a birdie putt for the victory.
Attempting to get it over the elevation and allow it to run to the hole, his third shot was a short chip. When Schauffele made excellent contact with his ball and saw a six-foot putt for the victory, he had ice in his veins despite the large number of spectators seated behind the 18th green.
The ball began on the right line but was heading slightly to his left as he moved into his putt and shook his shoulder. But it remained true, lipping into the cup and along that left edge.
The crowd screamed, as Schauffele threw his arms up in the air and let out the biggest sigh of relief. Finishing at 6-under 65 and 21-under, he put on an amazing show to win his first major championship.
He laughed after winning, “I really didn’t want to go into a playoff against Bryson.”DeChambeau put a lot of pressure on Schauffele, starting on Friday with a 65 in the second round and finishing on Saturday with a 4-under 67 to get himself into the running for the championship.
Subsequently, he shot a 7-under 64 on Sunday, which included birdies on holes 16 and 18. When DeChambeau lined up for his putt on hole 18, he knew he had to catch Schauffele at 20 under. As it rolled, he had the proper path, but the pace began to wane, raising concerns about speed.
Just enough strength was left in the ball for it to go into the hole, and DeChambeau let out a passionate wave of his hands.
Although he was practicing on the driving range in case he had to return to the course for the playoffs, DeChambeau went back to the green to congratulate Schauffele after he made his putt.
Viktor Hovland was leading the field going into the final round, but he made a bogey on the eighteenth hole to finish 5-under for the day and 18-under for the tournament. With a 5-under round, Thomas Detry also had a run at finishing 15-under overall for the competition.
The two players who moved up the most on Sunday were Billy Horschel, who finished 13-under overall, and Scottie Scheffler, who improved 16 spots after a difficult third round of 73, with a 6-under round to cap off a wild week.
Schauffele finished tied for second in the 2019 Masters and 2018 Open Championship, showing how close he has been to winning majors in the past. In the next major on the schedule, the U.S. Open, he has also tied for third.
However, he is spared from considering a what-if. With a broad smile on his face, Schauffele raised the Wanamaker Trophy, knowing that his name would be inscribed on its exterior forever.