PGA Championship: Xander Schauffele gets his major

Xander Schauffele had to wait his turn, long enough for inquiries and internal agony. Eventually, it took some heavyweight punches to cross the line.

At 30, the endearing American came of age, with a clutch putt on the 72nd hole to clinch victory in the PGA Championship at the Valhalla Golf Club. It was a giant leap, by all accounts. Schauffele needed steel, he forged a ton of it. He went wire to wire, as if to erase all doubt forever. It was not just a plain win; it was an emphatic triumph. At 21-under 263, it was the lowest ever score to par in a major championship. Ever.

Standing over his putt on the 72nd hole must have turned Schauffele’s innards heavy. He had six feet separating him from a slice of golfing immortality. Tapping it low, Schauffele watched the ball catch the lip, circling the cup before affording its master a destiny he was denied for 27 majors before this one.


And it was far from easy. Bryson DeChambeau drove like a mad genius, erratic, yet effective. He scrambled like a man possessed, gaining five strokes around the green. Viktor Hovland threatened to make Valhalla his hunting ground, briefly holding the lead. They were tapping on Xander’s heels and turning them sore.

The tenth green threatened to derail a rock-steady Schauffele, with his nearest contenders a couple of holes ahead. The approach was baked slightly more than necessary, leaving the leader working off the back fringe. As he watched his 5-foot par putt slide past the left edge of the cup, Hovland was even at the top. DeChambeau was just one back.

Schauffele picked that moment to make the loudest statement of a brilliant Sunday round. Moments after Hovland stole the lead with a 15-footer for birdie on 13, Schauffele found the centre of the cup from eight feet on the 11th to regain a share of it. As the battle intensified, he stayed on line with a stellar 206-yard approach, tracking the flag on the par-4 12th hole. The birdie there took him ahead again, moving to 20-under par. More importantly, Schauffele managed to stave off adversity with a steady hand, refusing to allow a crunchy moment to get the better of him. It was a sign of his relentless progress as a golfer in mind and body.

“It's not like I've made a stupid bogey before and I've hit a really good shot after that. Today I finally made those putts. I finally had enough pace or it lipped in or whatever you want to call it, it was my moment, and I was able to capitalize on some good iron shots coming in,” explained Schauffele. “In those moments, you can kind of feel it, and in the past when I didn't do it, it just wasn't there, and today I could feel that it was there.”

Unfortunately for Indian fans and Sahith Theegala, the feeling went missing. He started the day just one back from Collin Morikawa and Schauffele. And the birdie at the first was a terrific omen too. But then he conceded five strokes down the road. No one can afford such extravagance, especially in the final round of a major, while in contention. Sahith did just enough to restore pride with birdies on 16 and 18. The 73 dropped him to T12, teaching him some valuable lessons for the future.

This was just his ninth major, and he has already shown that he can contend with the best. In 2023, he was 9th at the Masters, T27 in the US Open, and now T12 at the PGA Championship. Sahith has also delivered on the big stages this season – 2nd in The Sentry, 5th in the Phoenix Open, T6 in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, T9 at the Players Championship, and second in RBC Heritage. With such relentless consistency, another door will open sooner than later. Just like Sahith, his growing fanbase will also have to stay in the lane, remain patient.

It was a wild week in Louisville. First, the weather made for a muggy start. Friday began with a traffic accident that cost a life. Scottie Scheffler wound up in the ensuing mess, spending time in detention for dragging a cop with his car. If this was indeed the last major at Valhalla, the thrilling weekend secures the iconic course some timeless memories.

Hovland (66), also looking for a first major, was in the mix till he faded into third with a bogey on the final hole. DeChambeau, despite some errant drives, scrambled and putted well enough to keep the tinder burning to the very last putt. He made a 10-footer on the 18th to score a bogey-free 64, keeping Schauffele honest. The American needed a birdie as DeChambeau worked to keep his limbs supple for a potential playoff. Schauffele (65) closed the door by getting up and down from 36 yards for the winning birdie, before raising his arms in relief and jubilation.

The PGA Championship underlined the power of a dense field. It brings together 156 of the best golfers. The committee did the game some service by extending seven special invitations, bringing 16 LIV Golfers into the field. Dean Burmester did well to secure T12 alongside Rory McIlroy and Sahith. DeChambeau caught a fleeting scent of victory. Five golfers, including Jon Rahm and Phil Mickelson missed the cut. And the rest of them finished among the bottom bunch, with the exception of Brook Koepka, who was T26. It is becoming increasingly necessary for LIV Golfers to make the most of these opportunities. Many of them will pursue qualification into the US Open next. Their performances in the majors will be key in the ongoing negotiations with the PGA Tour.