Scottie Scheffler stood on the 18th green at Quail Hollow Club on Sunday evening, his arms raised skyward before slamming his cap to the ground in an uncharacteristic display of raw emotion.
Pictured Above: Scottie Scheffler embraces the Wanamaker trophy after securing his 3rd Major win at the PGA Championship at Quail Hallow. Image courtesy of CBS News.
The world's top-ranked golfer had just secured his third major championship with a five-stroke victory at the 107th PGA Championship, adding the Wanamaker Trophy to a growing collection that already includes two Masters green jackets.
What made this moment even more special was witnessing the emotional embrace between Scheffler and his longtime coach, PGA Professional Randy Smith. Their 16-year relationship represents everything that makes our profession meaningful – the development of not just skilled golfers, but complete individuals. As Scheffler thanked Smith in his victory speech, calling him "more than just a coach," Smith wiped away tears nearby, embodying the deep connection that can form between a PGA Professional and their student. These enduring relationships, built on trust and consistent guidance, highlight why PGA Professionals remain the cornerstone of golf development across America.
Scheffler closed with an even-par 71 to finish at 11-under 273, comfortably ahead of Davis Riley, Harris English, and Bryson DeChambeau, who shared second place at 6-under par. Taylor Pendrith and Jhonattan Vegas tied for fifth at 5-under.
Early on the Back Nine: From Comfortable Cushion to Dramatic Duel
What appeared to be an easy coronation quickly transformed into a genuine battle during Sunday's final round. Scheffler began the day with a three-stroke advantage and extended it to five by the middle of the front nine. But the seemingly inevitable victory suddenly came into question when Jon Rahm mounted a charge while Scheffler struggled with his swing.
Scheffler made two bogeys on the front nine, turning in 2-over 37, while Rahm birdied three of four holes around the turn. By the time they reached the 10th tee, the five-shot cushion had completely evaporated, and the two major champions were tied at 9-under.
"I felt a little on the ropes on the front nine," Scheffler told reporters afterward. "This golf course will keep you on your toes. It was weird because at 7, 8, 9, I felt like I hit really good tee shots. And I looked up and it was 30 yards left where I was looking, which was a bit unusual."
Scheffler's Steady Response Secures Victory
Just when doubt began to creep in, Scheffler responded like the world's best player. He reclaimed the solo lead with a 9-foot birdie putt at the par-5 10th hole, then played flawless golf down the stretch while Rahm's challenge faded dramatically.
"Making the turn, I kind of squared my shoulders up and I hit a really good tee ball at 10, a really good tee ball at 11," Scheffler said. "After that, I did a really good job at executing on a lot of fairways, a lot of greens. Played a really good nine holes when I really needed to."
Scheffler added another birdie at the short par-4 14th, splashing a 25-yard bunker shot to 7 feet and converting the putt. He followed with a tap-in birdie at the par-5 15th after narrowly missing the green with a brilliant 5-wood from 267 yards.
Meanwhile, Rahm's challenge collapsed spectacularly on Quail Hollow's treacherous "Green Mile" finishing stretch. After failing to capitalize on birdie opportunities at 13 and 14, the Spaniard made bogey at 16, then disaster struck at the par-3 17th when his tee shot found the water, leading to a double bogey. Another double at 18 dropped him into a tie for eighth at 4-under, a stunning reversal after being tied for the lead with just seven holes remaining.
Putting Prowess Propels Scheffler to Victory
While Scottie Scheffler's ball-striking has long been regarded as his greatest strength, his putting has quietly emerged as a valuable asset. Ranked 15th in Strokes Gained: Putting through the PGA Championship, Scheffler has gained an average of 0.463 strokes per round on the greens this season.
At Quail Hollow, his skill on the greens proved crucial. He ranked 11th in the field for putts per round, averaging 27.95. Most importantly, he managed to avoid the three-putt disasters that troubled many competitors, going three-putt free for the entire week. Over the season, Scheffler has recorded only 13 three-putts in 720 holes played, which amounts to just 1.81% of the time, ranking him 19th on tour – a testament to his ability to avoid giving away strokes with the putter.
His putting performance at the PGA was particularly impressive given the challenging green complexes at Quail Hollow, where the average player three-putted 0.49 times per round. Scheffler also demonstrated his ability to capitalize on birdie opportunities, making 19 birdies over the week (tied for first) out of 47 attempts (47/72 greens in regulation, 65.28% that ranked him tied for sixth for the week).
Scheffler ranks 15th on tour in birdie or better conversion percentage at 36.09%. However, during this past week, he achieved an impressive conversion rate of 40.42%, making him one of the most efficient players at capitalizing on greens hit in regulation, both at Quail Hollow and throughout the season.
The Green Mile Claims More Victims
Quail Hollow's fearsome closing stretch – holes 16, 17, and 18, known as "The Green Mile" – lived up to its reputation as one of golf's most challenging finishes. These three holes played as the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st most difficult on the course, respectively, with the 494-yard 18th playing to a stroke average of 4.410, a punishing 0.410 strokes over par.
The 529-yard par-4 16th yielded just 26 birdies against 144 bogeys and 16 doubles or worse. The 223-yard par-3 17th was even more treacherous, with water guarding the left side of the green and a difficult bunker on the right. Players managed only 33 birdies there while recording 141 bogeys and 30 double bogeys or worse.
The finishing hole proved the ultimate test, playing as the most difficult on the course. The 494-yard par-4 18th saw just 43 birdies all week compared to 133 bogeys and a tournament-high 46 double bogeys or worse.
Overall, Quail Hollow ranked as the second-toughest course on tour this season, with players averaging 72.505 strokes per round, 1.505 over par. Only Torrey Pines South played more difficult.
Joining Golf's Elite: Scheffler's Place in History
Scheffler's victory places him in rarefied historical company. He joined Seve Ballesteros as the only golfers in the past century to win each of their first three majors by three strokes or more. Scheffler won the 2022 Masters by three shots, the 2024 Masters by four, and now the PGA Championship by five.
At just 28 years old, Scheffler has already amassed 15 PGA Tour victories, including three majors. Since World War II, only Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have reached those milestones before turning 29. He also joins Woods and Nicklaus as the only players to win three career majors and 15 PGA Tour titles.
After the final putt dropped, Scheffler shared an emotional moment with his family greenside. His wife, Meredith, and infant son Bennett were there to greet him, along with his parents.
"You know, Meredith and I were talking this morning, we still feel like we're in high school," Scheffler said. "I feel like we were in high school yesterday. We just started dating, and all of a sudden, you know, life out here is pretty cool right now. This is a lot of fun. But at the end of the day, life at home for us is pretty much the same. We have a pretty good little life, and we have great friends at home, and I'm looking forward to getting home and celebrating with them."
