PGA Championship Recap: Scotty Schaeffler’s Victory

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The PGA Championship officially wrapped up at Quail Hollow just before 7 PM on Sunday. Scotty Schaeffler completed his final putt, finishing the tournament with a round of 71 and ending at 11 under par.

But informally, it felt like the real turning point came when Schaeffler showcased an impressive performance in the last five holes of his third round the day prior. It was as if he was playing with a fresh burst of energy.

Ranked as the world’s number one player, Schaeffler registered a remarkable five-under par on Saturday’s final five holes, which earned him a three-shot lead heading into the final round.

Schaeffler displayed a unique focus throughout the tournament, and on Sunday, he didn’t let others catch up. It was definitely up to the rest of the field to narrow the gap.

During the front nine of the final round, despite some fluctuations, Schaeffler maneuvered through it. He dropped to nine under, but then bounced back with birdies on Nos. 8, 10, and 11 to regain the lead at 9 under.

There were moments when it seemed like he was battling more than just the competition; he was grappling with his swing for parts of the round. Yet, pulling through that challenge made this perhaps one of his most remarkable championship wins.

As he walked down the 18th fairway, the emotional weight of the victory was evident. It was a mix of relief and joy, and he wiped away tears as the crowd erupted in applause.

For Schaeffler, this marked his third major championship win, adding to his two Masters titles, positioning him midway through a potential career grand slam.

This was also his 140th professional start. He experienced a frustrating first 70 tournaments without a victory, but that changed dramatically since then. Sunday marked his 15th win in just 70 starts.

Now at 28 years old, Schaeffler has three major titles and 15 professional victories. Only Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have reached this achievement by the age of 29 since World War II.

He shares a unique distinction with Nicklaus and Woods regarding the time taken between their first and 15th victories. Woods did it in 3 years and 32 days, Nicklaus in 3 years and 45 days, while Schaeffler achieved this in 3 years and 94 days.

This raises interesting comparisons; he is now grouped with two of the greatest players in golfing history, who together boast 33 major championships.

Sunday’s event also marked the eighth consecutive tournament where Schaeffler concluded with a noteworthy score, reminiscent of Woods’ performance over 54 holes.

Still, it wasn’t a walk in the park for him. After John Rahm began to close in, Schaeffler regained his footing with a sand birdie on No. 10, going to 10 under with only a shot separating him and Rahm.

Schaeffler finished strong on the back nine, with three birdies and no bogeys, shooting 3 under.

Earlier, after his third round, a British reporter expressed awe at Schaeffler’s game, which seemed quite justified. For the most part, Schaeffler had been having a tough time in the earlier rounds, only to switch gears dramatically.

He’d struggled early on, sitting at 2 under on Thursday and 3 under on Friday. By Saturday, he managed just 1 under before picking up the pace from the 14th hole onward.

Xander Schauffele, the 2024 PGA champion, reflected on Schaeffler’s game, noting that he truly excels at all the little things—and, despite some early mishaps, he maintains a particularly strong finish.

As Schauffele completed his final round, he shared thoughts on Schaeffler’s chances, implying it would be shocking if he didn’t win.

A little later, Schaeffler’s friend Sam Burns commented on the difficulty others would face in catching up to him due to his skill level and precision.

Rahm came close to making a play for the win, but ultimately Schaeffler held his ground.