Scottie Scheffler claimed his maiden US PGA Championship in dramatic fashion at Quail Hollow, holding off a spirited charge from Jon Rahm to secure his third major title. While the five-shot winning margin may suggest a comfortable victory, the final round told a far more gripping story.
The world number one began the day with a three-shot lead over the field and a five-stroke cushion over Rahm. However, a nervy front nine — marked by two bogeys — allowed the Spaniard to draw level at the turn, setting up a tense duel for the Wanamaker Trophy.
But just as the stage was set for a potential upset, Rahm’s challenge crumbled over the treacherous final stretch. The 2023 Masters champion bogeyed the 16th, found water on the par-three 17th en route to a double bogey, and dropped two more shots on the 18th, tumbling to a tie for eighth.
Scheffler, by contrast, steadied the ship with birdies on the 10th, 14th, and 15th to reclaim control and close with a composed back nine. His emotional walk down the 18th, followed by exuberant celebrations after sinking the winning putt, revealed the significance of his latest triumph.
“I knew it was going to be a challenging day,” said Scheffler, 28. “Finishing off a major championship is always difficult and I did a good job of staying patient on the front nine. I didn’t play my best stuff, but I kept myself in it, stepped up on the back nine, and had a good nine holes.”
The win adds to Scheffler’s Masters victories in 2022 and 2024, confirming his status as the dominant force in men’s golf.
Jon Rahm, aiming to become the first Spaniard to win the US PGA Championship in its 107-year history, looked set to challenge Scheffler after birdies on the 8th, 10th, and 11th. For a time, the momentum appeared to be firmly on his side. But the unforgiving ‘Green Mile’ closing stretch dashed his hopes.
Afterwards, Rahm admitted the result was hard to take: “It’s a tough pill to swallow. I think it’s the first time I’ve been in position to win a major that close and haven’t done it. The only times I’ve led on a Sunday, I’ve closed it out.”
However, the performance will likely quiet doubts surrounding his major competitiveness since his switch to LIV Golf in late 2023. It marked the first time since joining the Saudi-backed tour that Rahm had truly contended down the stretch in a major, having managed only a tie for seventh at The Open in 2024 prior to this.
