Golf: Xander Schauffele sinks clutch putt to win PGA Championship and claim first major title

American Xander Schauffele birdied the final hole to win the PGA Championship by one shot over LIV Golf's Bryson DeChambeau at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday (NZ time) to claim his first major title.

Schauffele put the finishing touches on a wire-to-wire victory at the year's second major with a closing six-under-par 65 that left him at 21 under on the week.

Needing a closing birdie for the win, Schauffele's tee shot at the 18th perched up on the edge of a fairway bunker and forced him to take a compromised stance inside the hazard for his second shot, which he left just in front of the green.

Schauffele then displayed nerves of steel as he chipped to six feet from where he drained the biggest birdie of his career for the lowest winning score to par at a major championship.

DeChambeau carded a bogey-free seven-under-par 64 to finish two shots ahead of Viktor Hovland (66), whose spirited effort to become the first Norwegian to win a major came undone at the final hole.

A day that began with seven players within four strokes of overnight co-leaders Schauffele and Collin Morikawa turned into a thrilling three-horse race across the back nine at Valhalla between Schauffele, DeChambeau and Hovland.

DeChambeau and Hovland were playing in the third-to-last pairing and each set up pressure-packed 10-foot birdie putts on the final hole. DeChambeau drained his but Hovland's effort curled away and he went on to make bogey and finished third.

That left the outcome in the hands of Schauffele, who was on the par-four 17th where he did well to save par after his tee shot caught a fairway bunker before sealing the deal at the 18th while DeChambeau watched it unfold on a nearby screen.

Needing a closing birdie for the win, Schauffele's tee shot at the 18th perched up on the edge of a fairway bunker and forced him to take a compromised stance inside the hazard for his second shot, which he left just in front of the green.

Schauffele then displayed nerves of steel as he chipped to six feet from where he drained the biggest birdie of his career for the lowest winning score to par at a major championship.

Reuters.

American Xander Schauffele birdied the final hole to win the PGA Championship by one shot over LIV Golf's Bryson DeChambeau at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday (NZ time) to claim his first major title.

Schauffele put the finishing touches on a wire-to-wire victory at the year's second major with a closing six-under-par 65 that left him at 21 under on the week.

Needing a closing birdie for the win, Schauffele's tee shot at the 18th perched up on the edge of a fairway bunker and forced him to take a compromised stance inside the hazard for his second shot, which he left just in front of the green.

Schauffele then displayed nerves of steel as he chipped to six feet from where he drained the biggest birdie of his career for the lowest winning score to par at a major championship.

DeChambeau carded a bogey-free seven-under-par 64 to finish two shots ahead of Viktor Hovland (66), whose spirited effort to become the first Norwegian to win a major came undone at the final hole.

A day that began with seven players within four strokes of overnight co-leaders Schauffele and Collin Morikawa turned into a thrilling three-horse race across the back nine at Valhalla between Schauffele, DeChambeau and Hovland.

DeChambeau and Hovland were playing in the third-to-last pairing and each set up pressure-packed 10-foot birdie putts on the final hole. DeChambeau drained his but Hovland's effort curled away and he went on to make bogey and finished third.

That left the outcome in the hands of Schauffele, who was on the par-four 17th where he did well to save par after his tee shot caught a fairway bunker before sealing the deal at the 18th while DeChambeau watched it unfold on a nearby screen.

Needing a closing birdie for the win, Schauffele's tee shot at the 18th perched up on the edge of a fairway bunker and forced him to take a compromised stance inside the hazard for his second shot, which he left just in front of the green.

Schauffele then displayed nerves of steel as he chipped to six feet from where he drained the biggest birdie of his career for the lowest winning score to par at a major championship.

Reuters.

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