Author: golfworld.com.au Date Posted:20 May 2024

Xander Schauffele Clinches First Major at PGA Championship with Dramatic Finish

Xander Schauffele secured his first major victory at the PGA Championship at Valhalla with a nerve-wracking six-foot putt for birdie. The ball caught the lip of the hole, rolled around the edge, and miraculously dropped, allowing Schauffele to finish at 21-under par – the lowest score in major championship history. He edged out LIV star Bryson DeChambeau by a single stroke.

Earlier, DeChambeau had sunk a birdie putt on the 18th to share the lead. At that point, Schauffele still had two holes left to play. He made par on the 17th, but his chances for a birdie on the par-five 18th seemed slim when his tee shot landed in the left rough, close to a bunker.

With both feet in the sand and the ball above his feet, Schauffele executed a superb iron shot to the fairway just short of the green. He followed it up with an impressive pitch and then calmly sank the putt.

"I was actually kind of emotional after the putt lipped in – it's been a while since I've won," Schauffele admitted. The Olympic gold medallist from Tokyo had previously achieved 12 top-five finishes and two second places at majors. His last victory was at the 2022 Scottish Open, nearly two years ago.

Reflecting on his journey, Schauffele said, "I kept saying it all week, I just need to stay in my lane. And man, was it hard to stay in my lane today. I tried all day to just keep focused on what I'm trying to do and keep every hole ahead of me. I had some weird breaks coming into the house, but it's all good now."

Schauffele's birdie on the last hole made him the first player since Phil Mickelson in 2005 at Baltusrol to win the PGA Championship with a birdie on the final hole by one shot. After his victorious putt, DeChambeau, along with many other players, joined in to congratulate the 30-year-old.

Schauffele started the tournament with a record-tying 62 and ended with a 21-under 263, breaking the previous major low-score record held by Brooks Koepka in the 2018 PGA Championship and Henrik Stenson in the 2016 British Open.

Following his birdie putt, DeChambeau headed to the range to stay warm in case of a playoff. He watched Schauffele's finish on a big screen, ready for a potential showdown. "I really didn't want to go into a playoff against Bryson," Schauffele said. "I'm assuming we probably would have played 18 – it would have been a lot of work. So I just told myself this is my opportunity, and just capture it."

Celebrating with his family and friends, Schauffele made a quick call to his dad in Hawaii after his win. "I had to hang up pretty quickly because he started to make me cry. He was sitting on the phone bawling. It means so much."

A key part of Schauffele's success at Valhalla was his carefully chosen equipment. His driver, a Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond, with a Mitsubishi Diamana PD 70 TX shaft, helped him maintain accuracy and distance off the tee. For fairway shots, he relied on a Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond 3-wood (15 degrees) with a Mitsubishi Diamana PD 80 TX shaft, and a Callaway Apex UW hybrid (21 degrees) with a Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX shaft for versatility.

Schauffele's irons included a mix of Mizuno MP-20 (3-iron) and Callaway Apex TCB ’24 (4-10), all fitted with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue shafts (Mid X100 for the 3-iron and X100 for the 4-10 irons). His short game was supported by a combination of wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (52-10S), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-10S adjusted to 57), and Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto, all equipped with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts. On the greens, Schauffele trusted his Odyssey Toulon Design Las Vegas Prototype 7CH putter to sink crucial putts, while the Callaway Chrome Tour ball rounded out his setup, providing consistency and performance throughout his game.

Shane Lowry also delivered an impressive performance throughout the PGA Championship, highlighted by a spectacular third round score of 62. This incredible round positioned him well for a strong finish, and he ultimately tied for third at 17-under par. Lowry's rounds were marked by steady play and crucial birdies, particularly in the final round where he carded a 66.

Lowry's equipment, much like Schauffele's, played a crucial role in his success. He utilized a Srixon ZX5 MkII driver paired with a Mitsubishi Diamana White D+ 70 TX shaft, to achieve powerful and accurate drives. His fairway wood, a TaylorMade Stealth Plus+ (18 degrees) with a Graphite Design Tour AD DI-8 X shaft, was instrumental in navigating Valhalla's challenging layout. Lowry's iron play featured a Srixon ZX Utility (3-iron), ZX5 MkII (4-iron) with Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 120 X shafts, and ZX5 MkII (5-iron) along with ZX7 MkII (6-PW) irons fitted with KBS Tour X shafts, allowing him to attack pins with precision. His short game was bolstered by Cleveland RTX6 (50 and 54 degrees) and RTX ZipCore Full Face (58 degrees) wedges, all equipped with KBS Tour Custom X shafts. On the greens, his TaylorMade Spider Tour Z putter helped him convert key putts, while the Srixon Z-Star XV ball provided consistency and performance throughout his game.

Lowry's strong performance is a testament to his skill and determination, reinforcing his status as one of the top contenders in major championships. His consistent play and strategic use of equipment provided a thrilling complement to Schauffele's dramatic victory at Valhalla.

XANDER'S CLUBS

DRIVERS: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond

FAIRWAYS: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond

HYBRID: Callaway Apex UW Hybrid

IRONS: Callaway Apex Irons

WEDGES:

PUTTERS: Odyssey Putters

GOLF BALLS: Callaway Chrome Tour Golf Balls

SHANE'S CLUBS

DRIVERS: Srixon ZX5 Mk II

FAIRWAYS: TaylorMade Stealth 2

HYBRID: