Charlotte (AFP) – World number one Scottie Scheffler captured his third major title on Sunday, outdueling Spain’s Jon Rahm down the back nine in the final round to win the PGA Championship by five strokes. Scheffler, the 2022 and 2024 Masters champion, became the 10th consecutive American to win the event, firing a level-par 71 at Quail Hollow to finish on 11-under 273 and defeat countrymen Harris English, Davis Riley, and Bryson DeChambeau, who were tied for second on six under. Rahm stumbled to a 73 to finish on 280, sharing eighth after a bogey at 16 and double bogeys at 17 and 18.
Scheffler took home a $3.42 million top prize from a record $19 million purse. He also matched Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros as the only players in the past century to win their first three majors by at least three shots. Scheffler squandered a five-stroke edge with Rahm briefly tying him for the lead, but a birdie at the par-five 10th lifted Scheffler back in front to stay. The 28-year-old Texan took control with birdies at 14 and 15, while Rahm’s closing woes secured the Wanamaker Trophy, marking Scheffler’s first major win outside of Augusta National.
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“I did a good job staying patient on the front nine. I didn’t have my best stuff,” Scheffler said. “I stepped up on the back nine and got it done.” After suffering a right-hand injury last December, Scheffler only won his first title of the year two weeks ago at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. The major victory was Scheffler’s 15th career PGA Tour triumph, all in a span of three years and 94 days, making him one of the fastest to reach that mark alongside legends Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Scheffler, whose nine titles in 2024 included Paris Olympic gold, converted his eighth consecutive 54-hole lead into a victory.
Scheffler began the day with a three-stroke lead over Sweden’s Alex Noren, who quickly fell back with bogeys, and stretched the margin as high as five. However, Scheffler struggled with tee shots fading left as Rahm made his charge. “I just kept hitting it left,” Scheffler said. “It was a battle out there.” At the first, Scheffler found a greenside bunker and missed a six-foot par putt. He curled in a 14-foot birdie putt at the second but missed a 10-foot par putt at the sixth, while Rahm birdied the eighth from four feet and added a tap-in birdie at the par-five 10th.
When Scheffler made bogey at nine, Rahm followed with a 15-foot birdie putt at 11 to share the lead at nine-under. Scheffler reclaimed the lead with a nine-foot birdie putt at the 10th, while Rahm missed a 14-foot birdie putt at 12 and a seven-footer for birdie at 14. Rahm missed a 36-foot eagle putt at the par-five 15th from just off the green and then missed a 12-foot birdie putt coming back. Scheffler found a greenside bunker at 14 but blasted out to seven feet and made the birdie putt for a two-stroke edge. At 16, Rahm found a bunker and blasted to 14 feet but missed his par putt for a bogey, falling three strokes behind. A late fade ensured Scheffler’s victory.
Rahm, the 2021 US Open and 2023 Masters champion, captured the 2024 season crown in the LIV Golf League, but has not won a title this season in the Saudi-backed series. Majors remain the only place where top PGA Tour and LIV stars compete. DeChambeau, another LIV star, expressed his frustration as well. “I had the game to win this week,” DeChambeau said. “I just didn’t get it done… This is burning a bigger fire in my belly.”
Third-ranked Xander Schauffele, the 2024 PGA Championship and British Open winner, closed with a 22-foot birdie putt to shoot 68 and finish on 283. “Just didn’t have enough to score well,” Schauffele stated. “Just got to hang tough.” Five-time major winner Rory McIlroy, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning last month’s Masters, fired a closing 72 to finish on 287. World number two McIlroy skipped media interviews after all four rounds at a course where he has won four times and owns the course record of 61.
© 2024 AFP
