- Schauffele wins US PGA Championship, beating DeChambeau by one stroke
- Intense competition: Schauffele, Hovland, DeChambeau excelled under pressure
- Emotional win for Schauffele, securing victory with key final shots
The fact that this iteration of the US PGA Championship took place in the hometown of Muhammad Ali seemed fitting. The entire afternoon, Viktor Hovland swung and missed at Xander Schauffele. Bryson DeChambeau followed suit with his customary vigor. Schauffele is no longer the nearman in golf. Despite facing significant duress, he managed to secure the Wanamaker Trophy.
During an instantaneous three-horse sprint, mere statistics obscured the spectacle of an epic sporting event. With a score of 21 under par, Schauffele defeated DeChambeau by a single stroke, surpassing the final round’s major championship record. Hovland, fundamental to the Valhalla narrative, concluded at -18.
Both the quality of the golf and the level of intensity were exceptional. Before the tenth hole, none of Schauffele, Hovland, or DeChambeau had missed a shot. Schauffele utilized an unnecessary wood from a fairway hazard at that location and could not readjust himself into position. His performance was remarkable; he achieved eagles on the eleventh and twelfth.
In 32, both Hovland and DeChambeau utilized the front nine. By one, Schauffele had surpassed that. The atmosphere on a course designed for a birdie-fest was fraught with turmoil. Pars served no purpose in this particular setting.
On the 16th, the light should have gone out for DeChambeau. On the contrary, a misdirected drive collided with trees before rebounding into the exact center of the fairway. Ten minutes later, DeChambeau successfully tapped in an improbable birdie. The difficulty was that he was still one point behind Schauffele.
The circumstance was identical for Hovland, which explains his evident distress after missing a tremendous opportunity on the penultimate hole. The Norwegian might have been able to reach 20 under at the final but needed more borrowing. Hovland, who was visibly dizzy, also failed to make his short-par attempt. After that, there were two.
DeChambeau charged the Valhalla galleries with fist pumping and roars as he descended from the final green. On Sunday, he had not even come close to tying the lead before his final birdie putt narrowly reaching the hole. This marked the conclusion of DeChambeau’s 64-shot streak.
Schauffele held a firm grasp on the ball; he had located a bunker from the seventeenth fairway. Despite missing the green, the 30-year-old salvaged par. Gaining a birdie on the 72nd hole would guarantee a significant victory. Schauffele would need to safely navigate an uneven lie on the par five-course, resulting from striking his drive near the edge of a fairway hazard. He brought the ball within 35 yards of the cup before retreating 6 feet to conclude the tournament. As Schauffele holed out, an emotional scenario that reflected his earlier years of frustration unfolded. Although DeChambeau’s playoff aspirations were dashed, he did well to congratulate the champion.
It would be an exaggeration to say that Shane Lowry’s challenge vanished on the first green; however, the events that unfolded that day appeared crucial. While playing alongside Lowry, Sahith Theegala sank a birdie putt from 50 feet out. Lowry missed with a tenth of that distance remaining. Having put exceptionally well for the previous three days, the Irishman abruptly demonstrated his fallibility. Lowry did gather strokes on the third and fourth holes, but his failure to capitalize on the par-five seventh hole reduced him to an angry figure. Hovland, Schauffele, and DeChambeau had seized a significant lead when Lowry achieved his subsequent birdie on hole 14.
Collin Morikawa should have capitalized on numerous opportunities. A 15th-hole bogie concluded a string of fourteen consecutive pars. The two-time major champion obtained a close-up of Schauffele’s march despite this. Although the European challenge was formidable overall, Justin Rose tied for sixth place with bogey-bogey. Thomas Detry of Belgium tied Morikawa for fourth place at 14 under.
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Scottie Scheffler concluded a turbulent week with a 65, which tied the No. 1 for eighth place. Scheffler acknowledged his uncertainty regarding his post-course fate; he continues to face four charges, including assault of a police officer, stemming from an odd occurrence that transpired upon his arrival at Valhalla on Friday morning. Widespread conjecture in Kentucky has it that Scheffler’s charges will be dismissed, but the individual in question appears oblivious to the situation. In his lingering memory associated with this major, Scheffler will be seen donning an orange jump costume.
“I believe I was still quite exhausted,” Scheffler remarked regarding his fourth round. “I am extremely pleased with how I fought. I finished the week with a respectable back nine, which helped to salvage the week to some degree. “I’m not sure what I had hoped for heading into the week, but I’m pleased with my performance overall.”
Justin Thomas achieved the same total as Scheffler. Likewise, Robert MacIntyre pursued a final eagle. Consequently, The Scot will rejoin the United States PGA in 2025. Charlotte’s Quail Hollow has much to live up to.
