Scottie Scheffler faced a moment of serious doubt during the PGA Championship, with a five-shot lead slipping away in just four holes. His shots were going left, and Jon Rahm was rapidly gaining ground on Sunday at Quail Hollow. But Scheffler’s response showed exactly why he has been the world’s No. 1 golfer for the past two years and why he’s claimed multiple major titles.
Scheffler turned a tense final round into another dominant victory by playing flawlessly when it mattered most, earning his third major title with a steady performance on the back nine. It wasn’t flashy, just solid fairways and greens, and sinking the putts that Rahm struggled with. Scheffler closed with a bogey-free stretch to win by five strokes, his third major title now alongside two Masters victories.
“This back nine will be one I remember for a long time,” said Scheffler. “It was a grind out there… to step up when I needed to the most, I’ll remember that for a while.”
After an early lead, Scheffler saw his advantage vanish as Rahm made a strong push with birdies. However, when Scheffler needed to respond, he didn’t miss a shot, and his birdie on the 15th hole helped give him a comfortable cushion. Rahm’s challenge faded as he struggled with bogeys and double bogeys on the back nine, while Scheffler continued to make clutch shots to extend his lead.
With a final score of 11-under 273, Scheffler secured the victory. His performance made him the first golfer since Seve Ballesteros to win his first three major titles by a margin of three or more shots.
While Rahm’s hopes were dashed in the final holes with poor performances on the back nine, Scheffler’s composed play sealed the win, and his impressive consistency on tour continues to prove why he’s been the No. 1 player for the last two years.
This victory marks Scheffler’s 15th PGA Tour win in just his sixth season, joining Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus as the only players to achieve this feat so quickly. He finished five shots ahead of the nearest competitors, Bryson DeChambeau, Harris English, and Davis Riley, who all had strong showings but couldn’t catch up to the Texas native.
Scheffler’s dominance on the tour was evident throughout the championship, and his victory serves as a reminder of why he’s considered the best in golf today.
