By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler won his first PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday.
Scheffler recovered from blowing a five-shot lead and withstood a final-round charge from Jon Rahm to ultimately cruise to an impressive five-stroke victory courtesy of a superb back nine to his round of 71.
Rahm made three birdies in a four-hole stretch around the turn to briefly pull level, before dropping five shots over the infamous ‘Green Mile’ closing three-hole stretch to hand full advantage to Scheffler, who followed up a birdie at 10 with a couple more at 14 and 15 to pull clear.
It is the 28-year-old Scheffler’s third career major win with the first two coming at the Masters in 2022 and 2024.
Scheffler told CNN he felt “a little on the ropes” on the front nine.
“This golf course will keep you on your toes,” Scheffler said. “It was weird because at 7, 8, 9, I felt like I hit really good tee shots. And I looked up and it was 30 yards left where I was looking which was a bit unsual. Making the turn, I kind of squared my shoulders up and I hit a really good tee ball at 10, a really good tee ball at 11. After that, I did a really good job at executing on a lot of fairways, a lot of greens. Played a really good nine holes when I really needed too.”
“I knew somebody was going to make a move today,” Scheffler said. “There’s too much talent in the game of golf for me to slap the ball around today with a three-shot lead – three shots in 18 holes is really not that much.”
He added: “With this closing stretch, you can never be complacent with your game. I had seen that Jon and I were tied when I was playing the 10th maybe.
“I did my best to keep executing shots and stay in my little bubble.
“I just prepared for Jon to go out and have a great back nine as well. He’s a great player and a great champion, and he does a really good job of stepping up in the big moments.
“I didn’t really relax until I got the ball over the water on 17. I felt like after that, I could kind of limp on 18 with the lead that I had.”
Scheffler is due to headline the next two PGA Tour events, with the Charles Schwab Challenge starting on Thursday at the Colonial Country Club before the Memorial Tournament – a Signature Event – takes places at Muirfield Village.
The American will be among the pre-tournament favourites once again at the US Open from June 12-15, held at Oakmont Country Club, where Bryson DeChambeau returns as defending champion after last year’s dramatic victory over Rory McIlroy.