Xander Schauffele birdies No. 18 for one-stroke win over Bryson DeChambeau in PGA Championship

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- It’s time to nominate a different golfer in the category of Best Player Yet to Win a Major.

Xander Schauffele exited that conversation by winning the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on Sunday afternoon.

Make no mistake, Schauffele won it. After scrambling out of the 18th fairway with a challenging 4-iron on his second shot, Schauffele drained a 6-foot birdie putt to finish one stroke ahead of Bryson DeChambeau, who finished his round 27 minutes earlier.

The putt pushed Schauffele to 21-under, a record score for any major championship.

Schauffele is 30 years old, a California native who turned professional in 2015. Over that period, he played in 27 major championships without finishing better than second.

Xander Schauffele with the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. May 19, 2024. *(WDRB Photo)*
ERIC CRAWFORD

Schauffele didn’t play as perfectly as he did Thursday when he set a course record of 62, but he was close enough. After briefly giving up the lead with a shocking bogey on the first hole of the back nine, Schauffele rallied with birdies on No. 11, 12 and 18 to finish the four-day a 62-68-68-65 (263).

After the winning putt fell, Schauffele removed his cap and raising both arms in triumph. DeChambeau watched the putt appear to circle the cup and fall in from the range, where he was preparing for what would have been a three-hole playoff.

DeChambeau walked directly to the area behind the 18th green and congratulated the winner. Funny thing. Schauffele said that he wanted to avoid a playoff but he thought the two golfers would start by playing one hole on No. 18, not three on No. 16.

It didn't matter.

Schauffele joined a club that includes Rory McIroy (2014), Tiger Woods (2000) and Mark Brooks (1996) as winner of the four PGA Championship that have been played at Valhalla.

He earned $3.33 million of the $18.5 million purse that also paid $1,998,000 for finishing second and $1,258,000 to Vikto Hovland for third place.

After posting birdies on six of the first 13 holes, Hovland could not make another. He went to the 18th hole with a chance to earn a share of the lead. Instead, he found indigestion.

His missed a 10-foot birdie putt, bending the ball from right to left, 2 feet past the cup. Rattled, Hovland also misfired on the par putt, finishing his round with his first bogey since the 12th hole on Friday.

The victory put an exclamation point on a week that generated worldwide headlines on Friday morning.

John Mills, a tournament volunteer, was hit by a bus and killed while trying to cross Shelbyville Road. About an hour later, Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 golfer in the world, was arrested and charged with second-degree assault of a police officer and three other counts after he allegedly disregarded traffic directions while driving to the course.

Scheffler and his attorney, Steve Romines, said the incident was the result of miscommunication and confusion in the aftermath of the fatal accident. Scheffler returned to the course later Friday morning and shot a 5-under 66 before he fell out of contention Saturday.

Although he regrouped on Sunday and shot 6-under, Scheffler was unable to pressure the leaders. “I’m proud of how I fought through the week,” Scheffler said after the match on CBS. “I was kind of running on fumes.”

St. Xavier graduate Justin Thomas needed a big round Sunday to contend for his third major title. Didn’t happen. Thomas needed to be spectacular but was merely solid, posting birdies at No. 3, 13 and 18, with pars on the other 15 holes.

Thomas shot 69-67-67-68, finishing tied with Scheffler at 13 under in a four-way tie for eighth place with Billy Horschel and Robert MacIntyre

When will the event return to Louisville?

That is to be determined. Valhalla is not on the list of eight venues that have been chosen by the PGA of America from 2025-through-2034, but the organization has yet to select the courser for the 2032 and 2033 tournaments.

But records crowds and record performances by Schauffele and other created a weekend to remember.

2024 PGA Championship Coverage: