Louisville, Ky – After nearly going wire to wire the week before in Charlotte before running into a Ulsterman on a tear, Xander Schauffele captured his major championship by finishing the job and winning the PGA Championship. Schauffele completed the wire to wire feat at the Jack Nicklaus designed Valhalla Golf Club. The World No. 3, went out on Thursday and shot 9-under 62 to tie a major championship scoring record, his 21 under par – 263 strokes total at the completion of play was also a record.
On Sunday, Schauffele fired seven birdies (and one bogey) to shoot 6-under 65 to hold off a red-hot Bryson DeChambeau and Viktor Hovland, who shot 64 and 66 respectively.
“I was actually kind of emotional after the putt lipped in,” Schauffele said. “It’s been a while since I’ve won, and I really just – I kept saying it all week, I just need to stay in my lane. Man, was it hard to stay in my lane today, but I tried all day to just keep focus on what I’m trying to do and keep every hole ahead of me. Had some weird kind of breaks coming into the house, but it’s all good now.”
DeChambeau made four birdies on the back nine, including a 10-footer to tie Schauffele on the 72nd hole. Hovland had a chance of his own, but his attempt to tie slid by the hole, he also missed the comebacker but still managed to finish solo 3rd at 18 under par.
It was a wild week in Louisville, with world No.1 Scottie Scheffler getting arrested Friday morning while attempting to drive into the club following a traffic fatality to a pedestrian. Scheffler did salvage a tie for eighth after a final round 6-under 65. Justin Thomas, Billy Horschel and Robert MacIntyre also finished T8. Morikawa (71) and Thomas Detry (66) tied for fourth, while Justin Rose (69) and Shane Lowry (70) tied for sixth.
