7 hours ago
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2025 US PGA Championship final round
-11 Scheffler (US); -6 DeChambeau (US), English (US), Riley (US)
Selected others: ; -5 Pendrith (Can), Poston (US), Vegas (Ven); -4 Fitzpatrick (Eng), Rahm (Spa); -1 Schauffele (US); +2 Fleetwood (Eng); +3 McIlroy (NI)
An emotional Scottie Scheffler held off the rejuvenated Jon Rahm to convert his 54-hole lead into a maiden US PGA Championship title.
While the winning margin of five strokes suggests his third major was a formality, a different story threatened to unfold at Quail Hollow.
World number one Scheffler began three shots ahead and five clear of Rahm, but it became a two-way duel for the Wanamaker Trophy.
A patchy front nine from Scheffler, along with Spaniard Rahm's flurry of birdies around the turn, meant they shared the lead midway through the final round.
However, Rahm collapsed over his final three holes and Scheffler coasted to a major title that joins his Masters victories in 2022 and 2024.
"I knew it was going to be a challenging day," said Scheffler before collecting the trophy. "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."
After opening the door for Rahm by shooting two over par for his first nine, Scheffler posted birdies on the 10th, 14th and 15th to re-establish a buffer.
As Rahm tried to catch the 28-year-old, his dreams of his own third major triumph were crushed on the tricky 'Green Mile' finale.
He made a bogey on 16 before sending his tee shot into the water on the par-three 17th on his way to a double-bogey five. Two more dropped shots on the last hole saw him topple to a tie of eighth.
Above him, Bryson DeChambeau continued his fine recent record in majors by finishing in a share of second alongside fellow Americans Davis Riley and Harris English, whose six-under round of 65 catapulted him up the leaderboard.
Rory McIlroy, playing his first major since completing a career Grand Slam at the Masters in April, finished with a 72 to end three over par in a tie for 47th.
Defending champion Xander Schauffele fared marginally better, shooting 68 on Sunday to finish one under for the event and sneak inside the top 30.
Scheffler played his final five holes on Saturday in five under par to assume a commanding position heading into the final round.
His previous two major wins at Augusta National had been almost processions in the final round after holding the 54-hole lead. This, however, was anything but until the closing stretch.
A clumsy bogey at the first gave Scheffler's rivals hope but, after getting his shot straight back at the second, the Texan actually led by five standing on the fifth tee, with his chasers faltering.
Around the turn, though, Rahm made his move with three birdies in four holes, and as Scheffler stumbled with bogeys on the sixth and ninth, it was suddenly all square.
But Scheffler's composure and his ability to shoot a good score when not playing at his best are among his countless strengths - and they were demonstrated to full effect on the back nine.
Watched by his wife and infant son by the 18th green, his emotion became evident as he approached the final hole. A closing bogey was incidental with victory, his third in the past 14 majors, long since assured.
This win was Scheffler's 15th on the PGA Tour and comes just three years and 94 days since his first. That is the third fastest since 1950, behind only Tiger Woods (three years, 32 days) and Jack Nicklaus (three years, 45 days).
More to follow.
