Scottie Scheffler faced a true test at the PGA Championship on Sunday but managed to overcome ergonomic challenges in time to stave off Jon Rahm for a runaway victory and a record third major title.
Scheffler started the day with a commanding lead, but his three-shot advantage seemed to vanish after some struggles with the driver. Additionally, Rahm seemed to be mounting a charge at the world number one’s spot.
Fortunately for Scheffler, his calm demeanor shone through as he found his legs on the back nine, while two groups ahead, Rahm began to self-destruct which gifted the remaining holes some much-needed excitement.
“It’s incredibly difficult finishing off a major championship, but I did a really great job on the front nine,” explained Scheffler.
“I wasn’t feeling at my highest level today, but I made sure to finish strong. My score on the final nine holes was particularly strong. That’s pretty much everything.”
As for Scheffler, he made two crucial birdies which allowed him to regain control right when Rahm began to fall apart, going on to make an even-par 71 and finishing with a total of 11-under for the week during the second major of the year.
Scheffler’s five-stroke win this year set a new record for the PGA Championship after Rory Mcllroy’s eight stroke victory in 2012.
Ryder Cup prospect Harris English started his day in 11th place. He shot 65, which became the day’s lowest round. Together with American teammates Bryson DeChambeau (70) and Davis Riley (72), they shared a distant second place while English soared over them.
Rahm (73), who is a two time major champion, gave Scheffler a scare early in the back nine, but he completely crumbled towards the end, losing five strokes in the last three holes to fall to a tie for eight.
“Pretty fresh wound right now,” said Rahm. “But there’s been a lot of good happening this week and a lot of positive feelings to take for the rest of the year.”
His relatively improved Rahm, who was five shots behind the leader at the start of the day, took a while to get going in the final round but found his groove in time to generate some back nine drama at Quail Hollow Club.
Spaniard joined Scheffler at the top of the leaderboard when at the par four 11th he made his third birdie on a four hole stretch, but Scheffler at the 10th pulled back the outright lead with a nine foot birdie on the tenth.
Rahm was close but not successfully answering immediately, with a 19 foot birdie putt on the par three 13th that was beautifully set being just a bit too close to the hole. Rahm then proceeded to misread the following two holes’ birdie putts only to brutally close out the round with a flurry of mistakes.
Poston was quickly closing in at 14 and 15 before Poston’s putter went cold but the lead went up to five after Rahm made a double bogey on the 17th after famously driving his tee shot into the water.
DeChambeau, the reigning US Open champion and runner-up at last year’s PGA Championship, was hitting the ball well but had difficulty getting it into the hole.
Bryson believes that he could have won had a few courses suited him better and putts fell differently. “I felt like I had the game to win this week, and the golf course suited me pretty well; I missed a few putts coming down the stretch, and I got a little unlucky in this great game of golf.”
Explaining his feeling after the event, DeChambeau described how “It was a good fight, good battle, take a lot from it. It’s just burning a bigger fire in my belly.”
Meanwhile, Swede Alex Noren, who started the day in second place behind Scheffler, was unable to maintain his performance until the later stages due to an unfortunate series of three bogeys early on the back nine.
After making a cut after his first major following his career Grand Slam at last month’s Masters, McIlroy also went off amiably needing a single stroke to make the 47th position in the leaderboard. He exited the competition with a score of 72, completing the event tied for 47th.
Defending Champion Xander Schauffele had an early start too, completing round one of the tournament at one under after finishing with a final score of 68. However, what was notable was his par-four eagle chip of 46-feet that he sunk at hole eight.