Xander Schauffele ended his wait for a major title when he won the US PGA Championship on Sunday. The American answered questions about his ability to close out tournaments in emphatic fashion with a wire-to-wire victory at Valhalla. Schauffele carded a final round of 65 to hold off the challenges of Bryson DeChambeau and Viktor Hovland to secure a maiden major title as Shane Lowry fell away on the final day following a stunning round from the Irishman on Saturday.
READ MORE: Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler cap off crazy weeks with disappointing US PGA finishes Lowry went into the final day of the tournament just two shots behind joint leaders Schauffele and Collin Morikawa, while Sahith Theegala was one shot ahead of the Offaly native. A final round 70 saw Lowry finish tied-sixth on 14-under par as he mixed three birdies with two bogeys. Olympic champion Schauffele held his nerve to birdie the 72nd hole for a winning total of 21 under par, the lowest score in relation to par in major championship history.
Schauffele held a three-shot lead after also equalling the lowest single-round score for a second time with a stunning opening 62, but came into the final round tied with two-time major winner Collin Morikawa. A birdie on the first saw Schauffele reclaim the outright lead and further gains on the fourth, seventh and ninth took him into the back nine two ahead. However, a clumsy bogey on the par-five 10th and Hovland’s birdie on the 12th meant the pair were suddenly tie.