Who Won at Quail Hollow?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For the second consecutive men’s major championship, what appeared to be a routine victory turned into a brief moment of chaos before the favorite ultimately prevailed. At Quail Hollow, that drama unfolded in spectacular fashion during Sunday’s final round.

Scottie Scheffler entered the day with a three-shot lead but watched it evaporate completely by the turn. Jon Rahm’s early charge – featuring birdies at holes 8, 10, and 11 – tied the world No. 1 and turned what seemed inevitable into something unthinkable.

But champions respond when challenged, and Scheffler did exactly that.

The Turning Point

Playing holes 10-15, Scheffler found his rhythm at precisely the right moment, going 3-under par during those critical scoring opportunities. Meanwhile, Rahm’s surge derailed after failing to convert at the 15th before posting a disastrous 5-over par on Quail Hollow’s infamous Green Mile – the tournament’s three closing holes.

Scheffler’s back-nine 34 was more than enough to secure his third major championship by five strokes, the largest margin of victory at the PGA Championship since Rory McIlroy’s eight-shot win at Kiawah Island 13 years ago.

Historical Context

At 28 years old, Scheffler joins exclusive company. Since World War II, only two other players – Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods – have captured both their 15th PGA Tour title and third major championship before age 29. Remarkably, Scheffler, Nicklaus, and Woods are also the only players in history with multiple Masters wins, multiple Players Championships, and a PGA Championship title.

This marked Scheffler’s third consecutive successful conversion of a 54-hole lead or co-lead in majors – something accomplished only nine other times in the modern era. All three of his major victories have come while ranked No. 1 in the world.

Precision Under Pressure

While Scheffler admitted this wasn’t his best ball-striking week, he executed brilliantly when it mattered most. On the crucial 11th hole, with the tournament outcome still uncertain, he faced a 170-yard approach from the fairway. The field averaged 31 feet from the hole from that distance all week; Scheffler put his shot 13 feet away for a comfortable two-putt par.

The victory continued a remarkable streak for the top-ranked players. With McIlroy (No. 2) winning the Masters last month and Scheffler (No. 1) capturing the PGA Championship, this marks only the second time since the Official World Golf Ranking’s inception that the top two players have won the season’s first two majors.

Runner-Up Results

Bryson DeChambeau shared second place, earning his second consecutive runner-up finish at the PGA Championship – making him just the third player in the stroke-play era to finish second in back-to-back years at this major. Despite leading the field in driving distance, DeChambeau’s approach play proved the difference, ranking 47th in the field in strokes gained from the fairway.

Harris English and Davis Riley joined DeChambeau in a tie for second, with English posting Sunday’s low round of 65 and Riley recovering from an early eight on the seventh hole to register the best major finish of both players’ careers.

LIV Golf Representation

Jon Rahm’s Sunday represented his first time holding a share of the lead during a major weekend since joining LIV Golf. Despite Sunday’s disappointment, fellow LIV player Joaquin Niemann quietly posted his best major championship finish, tying for eighth alongside Rahm.

Several players earned U.S. Open exemptions through their performance, including first and second-round leader Jhonattan Vegas, who jumped from 70th to 49th in the world rankings to secure his first U.S. Open appearance in four years.

With the season’s second major in the books, attention now turns to Oakmont Country Club, which will host the U.S. Open for a record 10th time in just 25 days.