Xander Schauffele can now call himself a major champion after winning the 2024 PGA Championship on the final hole.
He’s long been the highest-ranked player in the world without a major title to his name.
But that run has come to an end for the 30-year-old after holding his nerve on the 18th hole with Bryson DeChambeau holding the clubhouse lead after his impressive round.
Schauffele set the benchmark in the very first round after tying the record for the lowest round at a major championship by going nine-under par.
A steady round followed on Friday, but his rivals were able to go lower and close up heading into the weekend.
A host of golfers were in the mix with European quartet Shane Lowry, Viktor Hovland, Robert MacIntyre and Justin Rose putting themselves in contention heading into Sunday.
But Schauffele continued to hold his nerve during the final round while his rivals fell by the wayside.
Collin Morikawa, Lowry and MacIntyre failed to keep tabs of the leaders with DeChambeau and Hovland emerging as Schauffele’s closest challengers.
The Norwegian star hit six birdies in the space of nine holes and momentarily took the lead, but a bogey on the last cost him dearly.
His playing partner DeChambeau was having a similarly impressive round and then dropped a huge birdie putt on the last to shoot a round of 64 and put him level with Schauffele who was a few groups behind.
The pressure was clear for all to see for Schauffele in the final few holes as he missed the green with his approach shot on the 17th.
The 30-year-old showed his nerve to get up and down to save par, but a wayward tee shot put him in an awkward position on the final hole.
Bryson DeChambeau pushed Xander Schauffele all the way
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He had to stand in the bunker with the ball above his feet in the rough, but he hit a tremendous shot with his four-iron to the edge of the green.
That still left him needing to get up and down to win the first major of his career with DeChambeau watching attentively on the range.
But a confident pitch landed a few feet from the hole before he confidently stepped up and dropped the birdie to win the PGA Championship.
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He did it 🏆 pic.twitter.com/bARHEvv5hj
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 19, 2024
Schauffele celebrated by holding his hands aloft in the air, beaming from ear-to-ear before embracing his caddie and close friend Austin Kaiser.
DeChambeau showed his class at the end by going up to congratulate Schauffele as his compatriot walked through the crowd.
Attention now turns to the US Open next month at Pinehurst where Wyndham Clark will defend his crown.
Source Agencies
