PGA Championship: Xander Schauffele keeps his cool to win the long-awaited first major

CNN
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American golfer Xander Schauffele won the 106th PGA Championship on Sunday, holding off compatriot Bryson DeChambeau in a nail-biting final to clinch a long-awaited first major title.

World number 3 Schauffele was pushed to the final hole at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, but the 30-year-old kept his cool to birdie and finish one stroke ahead of LIV Golf’s DeChambeau at 21 under normal in total.

A final round of six-under 65 was just enough to clinch a first major title for Schauffele, destroying his unwanted title as one of the most talented golfers never to win one of the four marquee events of the golf.

The Californian had finished second twice and 12 times in the top 10 at majors, but he broke his duck in style, opening Thursday with a spectacular 62 – the lowest score in major history – and closing with a nerveless putt from just over six feet.

“I was actually pretty emotional after the putt,” said Schauffele, an eight-time PGA Tour winner who took home a $3.33 million winner’s share of a $18.5 million purse. , while he was presented with the Wanamaker Trophy.

“It’s been a while since I won, and I’ve really been saying all week, ‘I just have to stay in my lane.’ Man, it was tough to stay in my lane today, but I tried all day to stay focused on what I’m trying to do and keep every hole in front of me.

“I just said to myself, ‘This is my opportunity and take it,’” he added.

An excited DeChambeau played a near-perfect round to push Schauffele to death, shooting a bogey-free 64 as he sought a second major crown.

After finishing sixth at the Masters, the Californian appears to be getting closer to the form that helped him win the US Open in 2020.

“First of all…proud of Alex for finally getting the job done. He’s an incredible golfer and a well-deserved major champion now,” DeChambeau told reporters.

“On my side of the coin, disappointing, but whatever. I played well. I didn’t do my best all week. I felt like I pretty much had my “B” game…but that gives me a lot of momentum for the rest of the majors.

“I said today it was closing time, but it will be closing time hopefully for the next two majors.”

Two shots behind DeChambeau in third position, Norwegian Viktor Hovland remains stuck with the unwanted title from which Schauffele has now escaped: “almost a man”.

The 26-year-old had made it to the final tee level with DeChambeau but could only make bogey, resigning him to his third major top four finish without silverware in the last two years.

It was the culmination of a chaotic week in Lousville, with the event upended by the arrest of world No. 1 and tournament favorite Scottie Scheffler before Friday’s second round.

The 27-year-old faces four charges, including felony assault, but returned to play just hours after his release from prison to shoot a stellar 66.

Last month’s Masters champion did better with a final 65, but left himself with too much ground to make up to land a second straight major after scoring a frustrating two-over 73 on Saturday.

He finished eight shots behind Schauffele in a game of eighth, a “good” end to an “eventful” week.

“I’m not going to sit here and say I played bad yesterday because of what happened Friday,” Scheffler, who said he plans to play the next PGA Tour event at Texas Thursday.

“I just had a bad day on the course and I was proud of how I got here and how I bounced back today.

“Saturday morning, I think I finally understood what really happened. Friday, most of the day, I didn’t even really eat… as someone who is a big eater, it was a strange feeling, so obviously my body wasn’t a little out of sync with what happened in the morning.

“I tried my best to put that behind me and come here to compete and do what I love, and the support I received from the fans was incredible. I think they cheered really loudly for me this week, and I got a lot of support from the players and caddies as well.

Scheffler will undoubtedly be among the favorites again when the US Open, the next men’s major on the calendar, begins at the Pinehurst Resort and Country Club in North Carolina on June 13.

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