CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler had ample reason to feel anxious about the PGA Championship slipping away.
A five-shot lead on the Front 9 evaporated with just four holes to go, leaving him bewildered. John Rahm had snatched a birdie and was closing in on him as Sunday unfolded.
This is exactly why Scheffler holds the title of the number one player in golf for a second consecutive year, and why he eclipsed records set by legends Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus faster than anyone else since 1950.
And that explains why he has the Wanamaker trophy alongside two Masters titles.
Scheffler transformed Sunday into another impressive showing, making no mistakes under pressure and securing another major title with a confident stroll to the 18th green.
“This back nine will be something I remember for a long time,” Scheffler stated. “At one point, I think I had a 4 or 5-shot lead.”
“So, I’ll remember it as a time I stepped up when I needed to the most.”
It wasn’t flashy. The fundamentals of fairways and greens were what earned him the 2023 Masters title, managing to fend off Rahm for the first time since his move to Liv Golf late last year.
Rahm’s hope diminished when he failed to capitalize on Burley’s opportunities on the two easiest holes on the back nine at Quail Hollow, eventually carding a bogey, double bogey, double bogey. By that stage, the tournament’s outcome was nearly sealed.
The only comfort for Scheffler came from seeing the lake on the par 5 15th while noticing Rahm stuck in a bunker. Scheffler mused, “If I can get a birdie here, it would go a long way.”
He struck a three-wood shot behind the green, and from the same spot where Rahm had previously missed, Scheffler set himself up comfortably for a birdie.
Scheffler capped off his performance with a bogey, finishing with a solid 71, allowing him a five-shot victory and his third major title. Scheffler became the first player since Seve Ballesteros to achieve more than three shots in his first three majors.
The margin didn’t reflect the struggle. This was evident when Scheffler raised his arms on the 18th green and then tossed his cap onto the grass, displaying a rare display of emotion from the 28-year-old Texas star.
“I feel a lot of happiness,” he expressed. “Maybe I’m just grateful. It was a long week. I felt like it was just as challenging as fighting for a career tournament.”
It felt much sweeter than last year when he was detained outside Valhalla Golf Club concerning a traffic fatality, with accusations of not complying with police instructions.
But no such issues arose at Quail Hollow as he stayed composed.
Throughout the ropes, this wasn’t the leisurely walk that the final margin might imply.
Scheffler held a five-shot lead on the sixth tee, but by the 10th tee, they were tied as Rahm scored three birdies within a four-hole span around the turn, while Scheffler struggled and made two bogeys.
It appeared to be a duel to the finish, and Bryson DeChambeau was doing his best to join the contest. Amid mounting pressure, Scheffler didn’t falter, maintaining his shots from the tee and fairway and reclaiming a four-shot lead.
Rahm rolled through seven shots, yet he was the only serious contender. Following a bogey on the 16th hole, he faced a precarious pin on the par 3 17th. He carded a double bogey, surrounded by water beyond the green. His final tee shot veered into the water for another double bogey.
All of this helped erase the five-shot deficit he faced at the start of the day, finishing with a score of 73 in eighth place.
“Yeah, the last three holes were tough to swallow right now,” Rahm commented.
“I’ll move forward. I plan to focus on the positives from this week. I aim to put myself in that position again and learn from this for the US Open,” he added.
DeChambeau managed to score a birdie to reduce the gap on the 14th and 15th, but failed to secure another birdie, finishing with a bogey on the 18th and a total of 70.
“I’m feeling confused. It felt like things weren’t going my way this week,” DeChambeau admitted. “I drove well… I gave myself plenty of chances. I just felt some outcomes went against me.”
North Carolina native JT Poston also flirted with an outside chance, drilling the last two holes to link to the fifth.
He wrapped up his round with the highest score on Sunday as Scheffler made his way through the third hole. He had a flight to catch that afternoon and was initially the clubhouse leader. However, upon seeing Scheffler’s name on the leaderboard, he smiled and remarked, “I don’t see him slipping much. I watched him fly.”
Following that, Scheffler struggled to find his rhythm, hitting only two fairways on the front nine. He managed some birdies but failed to convert on reachable par 4s, especially the 8th hole. On eight of his nine holes, errors crept in. And he was matched up with a hot Rahm.
Yet, one of Scheffler’s strengths is his ability to persevere, a trait evident in both of his Masters victories.
“I’ve had to hit a lot of key shots this week, so I’m thrilled to be walking around with the trophy,” Scheffler declared.
He finished with an 11-under 273, marking his 15th victory in just his sixth year on the PGA Tour. Since 1950, he’s been the only one apart from Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, and in a few months, will be the third-fastest player to secure 15 Tour victories.
This win came just a month after Rory McIlroy clinched the Masters and completed his career grand slam. The PGA Championship is always a tall order to follow, but it lacked the drama this time. Nevertheless, it highlighted why Scheffler retains the number one spot for a second year and why it won’t be easy to replace him.
McIlroy struggled, shooting 72-72 over the weekend and tying for 47th place. He has now finished with the same score over 72 holes in four years of majors. McIlroy declined to speak with the media on all four days.
Scheffler’s appearance at the PGA Championship came after his eight-shot win at the Byron Nelson CJ Cup. He’s now won majors with a five or more shot margin, an achievement not seen since Woods in 2000.
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Source: apnews.com