CHARLOTTE, North Carolina. — Scottie Scheffler was put to the test at the PGA Championship on Sunday (Monday in Manila) but stood tall in the face of adversity as he corrected swing issues in time to hold off a spirited effort by Spaniard Jon Rahm for a runaway victory and third career major title.
Scheffler began the day with a seemingly comfortable three-shot lead but what many felt was an inevitable victory turned into a back-nine tussle as the world No. 1 golfer struggled off the tee early and Rahm mounted a charge.
But like a true champion, the unflappable Scheffler did not panic and found his stride on the homeward stretch while Rahm, playing two groups ahead, endured a stunning collapse that robbed the final holes of any drama.
“Finishing off a major championship is always difficult, and I did a good job of staying patient on the front nine,” said Scheffler.
“I didn’t have my best stuff, but I kept myself in it, and I stepped up on the back nine and had a really good nine holes. That’s about it.”
Scheffler made two key birdies midway through the back nine to regain control just as Rahm was falling apart and went on to card an even-par 71 that left him at 11 under on the week at the year’s second major.
His five-stroke win is the largest at the PGA Championship since Rory McIlroy won by eight in 2012.
Ryder Cup hopeful Harris English, who began his day 11 shots adrift, shot a 65 that was the low round of the day and finished in a distant share of second place alongside fellow Americans Bryson DeChambeau (70) and Davis Riley (72).
Twice major champion Rahm (73) gave Scheffler a scare early on the back nine but came apart in stunning fashion with five dropped shots over his final three holes to slide back into a share of eighth place.
“Pretty fresh wound right now,” said Rahm. “But there’s been a lot of good happening this week and a lot of positive feelings to take for the rest of the year.”
Rahm, who began the day five shots back of the lead and playing two groups ahead of Scheffler, took a while to get going in the final round but found his groove right in time to set up some back-nine drama at Quail Hollow Club.
The Spaniard joined Scheffler atop the leaderboard when, at the par-four 11th, he made his third birdie over a four-hole stretch, but Scheffler reclaimed the outright lead with a nine-foot birdie at the 10th moments later.
Rahm nearly answered right back but his perfectly paced 19-foot birdie attempt at the par-three 13th curled around and out of the cup before going on to misread birdie putts at the next two holes, followed by his brutal closing stretch.
