CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bryson Deccanbeau shadowed PGA Championship winner Scotty Schaeffler throughout Sunday, but he couldn’t quite catch up.
As he prepares to defend his US Open title at Oakmont next month, Deccanbeau ended the tournament at 6 under. He mentioned that nothing really clicked for him during the rounds, reflecting that he felt capable of winning this week—yet he missed several crucial putts during the stretch.
“I definitely had chances against Rory [McIlroy at the Masters] and to challenge Scotty [Scheffler] this week. I just didn’t get it done. It was a good fight, though—definitely a fire in my belly now,” he remarked.
Xander Schauffele’s experience as defending champion was quieter, although he remains hopeful for another shot at the title. “The goal was to sneak into the top 10,” he noted, adding that he wanted to earn points to qualify for the Ryder Cup. On the last day, he played impressively with a 5-under on 15 holes but stumbled with a double bogey on 16, finishing the tournament with a 68 and a total score of 1 under.
Afterwards, Schauffele was optimistic, stating he wanted to continue his performance in future tournaments, saying, “If we had four more days like this, I think we’d have a good chance.” He seems motivated for the next competition.
Meanwhile, McIlroy, fresh off a Masters victory that gave him a career grand slam, wrapped up a peculiar week with another inconsistent finish without addressing reporters, declining to elaborate on his silence for the fourth day in a row.
Sergio Garcia, representing one of the 16 LIV golfers in the field, completed his week at 1 under. He mentioned there weren’t many positives aside from making the cut and not finishing last. Open about his chances of joining the European Ryder Cup team in September, he added, “If I improve, I might have a shot.” Garcia expressed his desire to demonstrate the solidity of his game in order to contribute to the team.
On Sunday, Harris English set an early standard with a solid 6-under 65, finishing the week at 6 under. His performance marked his fourth top-ten finish in majors. While he felt unable to claim victory that day, he was pleased to perform well during major tournaments. “The Ryder Cup is weighing on my mind as I try to make the point list. It’s the pinnacle of our sport, and I’m here to compete,” he shared.
For his part, Scotty Schaeffler didn’t encounter many bogeys during the week, with a remarkable ability to bounce back from challenges, posting a birdie in six situations and leading the field with a 60% recovery rate.
