It was only a matter of time.
Xander Schauffele was too good not to win a major, and he proved it Sunday -- birdying the 18th hole at Valhalla to claim his first major championship.
Schauffele finished one shot better than Bryson DeChambeau, rolling in a six-foot two-inch putt on the 18th to secure the win. Schauffele fired a final round 65, finishing -21 -- the lowest score to par in major championship history.
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Prior to the PGA Championship Schauffele's record was littered with close calls at major championships. In 27 career starts Xander posted 12 top-10s, and six top-5s.
This season had followed that trend. In 11 tournaments he finished tenth or better eight times, including eighth at the Masters. Schauffele placed fifth or better five times, with a runner-up finish last week at the Wells Fargo Championship.
Prior to this weekend Xander's crowning achievement was his Gold Medal at the Tokyo Olympics. He came into this season with seven career PGA Tour victories.
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The Scripps Ranch grad and San Diego State alum started Sunday's final round tied with Collin Morikawa at -15.
Schauffele took the solo lead with a birdie on the opening hole. That jumpstarted a fantastic opening nine, which featured four birdies and a score of 31. His putting was on display, converting a key par on the sixth before birdying the seventh and ninth.
He held a two-shot lead at the turn (-19).
Xander had his first shaky moment on the 10th, missing for par on a gettable par-5. He responded by knocking his tee shot close on the par-3 11th, setting up a bounce-back birdie. Schauffele hit his approach close on the 12th for his first consecutive birds of the round, putting him alone at -20.
Bryson Dechambeau and Viktor Hovland both contended down the stretch. DeChambeau birdied the 18th to finish at 20-under. Hovland, who briefly took the lead on the back nine, finished with a bogey to post a final score of -18.
Schauffele hit his second shot on the 18th near the green from an uneven lie. He was steady on the chip that followed, setting up his winning putt.
