LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Xander Schauffele faced yet another major champion down the stretch and this time delivered some magic of his own. He swirled in a 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole Sunday to win the PGA Championship for his first major championship in another thriller at Valhalla.
The birdie putt denied Bryson DeChambeau — and LIV Golf — a chance at another major title and put Schauffele in the record book with the lowest 72-hole score in major championship history. “I just kept telling myself, ‘I need to earn this — earn this and be in the moment.’ And I was able to do that,” Schauffele said.
“I don't really remember it lipping in. I just heard everyone roaring and I just looked up to the sky in relief.” And with that, the Olympic gold medalist got something even more valuable in silver — that enormous Wanamaker Trophy after a wild week at Valhalla.
He closed with a 6-under 65 to beat DeChambeau , who was entertaining to the very end by turning a huge break into an unlikely birdie on the 16th hole and a 10-foot birdie on the par-5 18th for a 64. “Shot 20-under par in a major championship,” DeChambeau said. “Definitely disappointing, but one that gives me a lot of momentum for the rest of the majors.
” Schauffele became the first player since Phil Mickelson in 2005 at Baltusrol to win the PGA Championship with a birdie on the last hole to win by one. And this took all he had. He already had mud on his golf ball on two key holes along the.