Scheffler outduels Rahm to capture third major title

Kuwait Times

20-05-2025

CHARLOTTE: World number one Scottie Scheffler captured his third major title on Sunday, outdueling Spain's Jon Rahm down the back nine in the final round to win the PGA Championship by five strokes. Scheffler, the 2022 and 2024 Masters champion, became the 10th consecutive American to win the event, firing a level-par 71 at Quail Hollow to finish on 11-under 273 and defeat countrymen Harris English, Davis Riley and Bryson DeChambeau, tied for second on six-under.
'I knew it was going to be a challenging day. Finishing off a major championship is always difficult,' Scheffler said. 'I did a good job of staying patient on the front nine. I didn't have my best stuff, but I kept myself in it, and I stepped up on the back nine.'
Rahm stumbled to a 73 to finish on 280 and share eighth after a bogey at 16 and double bogeys at 17 and 18. 'Pretty fresh wound right now, but there have been a lot of good happening this week and a lot of positive feelings to take for the rest of the year.' Scheffler took home a $3.42 million top prize from a record $19 million purse.
Scheffler squandered a five-stroke edge, Rahm briefly tying him for the lead, but a birdie at the par-five 10th lifted Scheffler back in front to stay. The 28-year-old Texan took control with birdies at 14 and 15 while Rahm's closing woes secured Scheffler the Wanamaker Trophy, his first major win outside of Augusta National.
'I'm proud of how I did this week just staying in it mentally and hitting the shots when I needed to,' Scheffler said. 'This back nine will be one that I remember for a long time. It was a grind out there. I think at one point on the front I maybe had a four- or five-shot lead, and making the turn, I was tied for the lead.
'To step up when I needed to the most, I'll remember that for a while.' After suffering a right hand injury last December, Scheffler only won his first title of the year two weeks ago at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. The major victory was Scheffler's 15th career PGA Tour triumph, all in a span of three years and 94 days, with Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods the only players to hit the mark faster.
Scheffler, whose nine titles in 2024 included Paris Olympic gold, converted his eighth consecutive 54-hole lead into a victory. He also matched Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros as the only players in the past century to win their first three majors by at least three shots.
'Kept hitting it left'
Scheffler began the day with a three-stroke lead and stretched the margin as high as five, but Scheffler struggled with tee shots fading left as Rahm made his charge. 'I just kept hitting it left,' Scheffler said. Scheffler answered a bogey at the first with a birdie at the second but bogeys at six and nine were costly while Rahm birdied the eighth, 10th and 11th to share of the lead at nine-under.
Scheffler reclaimed the lead with a nine-foot birdie putt at the 10th while Rahm missed birdie putts at 12 and 14 and an eagle chance at the par-five 15th that ended with par. Scheffler found a greenside bunker at 14 but blasted out to seven feet and made the birdie putt, then birdied 15 as Rahm was making bogey at 16, sealing his fate.
'I hit the important shots well this week,' Scheffler said. 'And that's why I'm walking away with the trophy.' Rahm, the 2021 US Open and 2023 Masters champion, captured the 2024 season crown in the LIV Golf League, but has not won a title this season in the Saudi-backed series.
Majors remain the only place where top PGA Tour and LIV stars compete. Third-ranked Xander Schauffele closed with a 22-foot birdie putt to shoot 68 and finish on 283. Five-time major winner Rory McIlroy, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning last month's Masters, fired a closing 72 to finish on 287.
World number two McIlroy skipped media interviews after all four rounds at a layout where he has won four times and owns the course record of 61. – AFP