Xander Schauffele needed birdie on the 18th hole to win the PGA Championship, and that’s exactly what he did to edge out Bryson DeChambeau by one stroke at Valhalla Golf Club.
Xander Schauffele walked it off at Valhalla Golf Club on Sunday, birdying the 18th hole to finish 21-under for the PGA Championship victory.
Schauffele’s 263 strokes over his four rounds is the lowest scoring total in major championship history.
Schauffele was tied with Bryson DeChambeau, who shot a 64, at 20-under entering the final hole. Schauffele, after going up and down to save par on the 17th hole, walked onto the 18th tee knowing a birdie would give him the Wanamaker Trophy.
He did just that and Schauffele can forever say he’s a major champion.
It was an ending out of a golf movie as Schauffele looked ahead into the 18th fairway with birdie on his mind for the win. But his tee shot didn’t go as planned as it never created the fade he wanted on the long par-5, and his ball ended up in the rough just before the bunker.
As Schauffele dissected his lie, his feet had to be in the bunker and the ball was well above them, which he knew would create a big hook once he made contact. After reviewing the shot with his caddie, Schauffele took a whale at it, and he was short of the green, right in the fairway for a great chance to get it close with his next shot and have a birdie chance for the win.
His third shot was a short chip, where he was looking to get it over the elevation and let it run to the hole.
