Xander Schauffele proves he's golfing thoroughbred with first major win in horse-racing hotbed

Near the home of the Kentucky Derby, Xander Schauffele won his first major by a short head from Bryson DeChambeau, proving at long last that he is indeed a golfing thoroughbred.

In a thrilling final day in the 106th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, both DeChambeau and Viktor Hovland threatened to keep Schauffele as the game’s ‘nearly man’, but the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open champion wasn’t going to be denied on this occasion.

He’d been the man to beat in the season’s second major since opening with a record-equalling 62 in the opening circuit and turned for home in the closing circuit with a two-shot cushion.

Xander Schauffele poses with the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the 106th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. Picture: Michael Reaves/Getty Images.

Then, all of a sudden, the Californian found himself chasing Hovland after the Norwegian caught fire, but what a response from Schauffele as he made gutsy back-to-back birdies at the 11th and 12th to put himself back in the driving seat.

Playing the last, 2020 US Open champion DeChambeau and Hovland both trailed by one and needed a strong finish to apply some pressure. It was mission accomplished in the case of DeChambeau as his birdie putt just had enough pace to drop in but Hovland bogeyed it after three-putting from 12 feet.

Schauffele saved par from a fairway bunker at the 17th before his tee shot at the par-5 18th left him standing in the bunker to play a shot above his feet. He did really well to get it close to the green before rolling in a six-footer for victory.

After recording no less than 12 top-ten finishes in majors, this was his day and getting his hands on the Wanamaker Trophy was richly deserved, even though a closing 64 from DeChambeau might have been good enough to land the spoils in the game’s marquee events on another day.

“Yeah, I was actually kind of emotional after the putt lipped in,” said Schauffele of a success that earned him $3.3 million and also saw him become world No 2, jumping above Rory McIlroy. “It's been a while since I've won (that Genesis Scottish Open success at The Renaissance Club was the last one) and I kept saying it all week, I just need to stay in my lane.

“Man, was it hard to stay in my lane today, but I tried all day to just keep focus on what I'm trying to do and keep every hole ahead of me. Had some weird kind of breaks coming into the house, but it's all good now.”

A closing 65 for a 21-under-par 263 total is the lowest winning total in a men’s major, beating the previous mark set by Brooks Koepka in this event at Bellerive in 2018 and Henrik Stenson’s Open win at Royal Troon in 2016 by one shot.

“I think I'd probably be a little bit less of a patient person if that putt didn't lip in, but I really didn't want to go into a playoff against Bryson,” added Schauffele. “I'm assuming we probably would have played 18. It would have been a lot of work. I just told myself, this is my opportunity, and just capture it.”

DeChambeau, who finished two shots ahead of Hovland, was gracious in defeat. “First emotions, proud of Xander for finally getting the job done,” he said. “He's an amazing golfer and well deserved major champion now. He's played well for a long, long time. Super happy for him.

“On my side of the coin, disappointing, but I played well. Didn't strike it my best all week. Felt like I had my "B" game pretty much. My putting was A+, my wedging was A+, short game was A+, driving was like B.

“You know, shot 20-under par in a major championship. Proud of myself for the way I handled adversity. Definitely disappointing, but one that gives me a lot of momentum for the rest of the majors.”

Belgian Thomas Detry (66) finished in a tie for fourth with two-time major winner Collin Morikawa (71), with Justin Rose (69) and Shane Lowry (70) both a further shot back and Bob MacIntyre (70) tying for eighth.