Xander Schauffele wins 2024 PGA Chmpionship: video highlights, press conference

Two clutch up-and-downs at the closing two holes see Xander Schauffele finally become a major champion.

Xander Schauffele made two clutch up-and-downs at the final two holes to win the 2024 PGA Championship. After Bryson DeChambeau threw his umpteenth fist pump for the week after making birdie on the 18th hole to get to 20-under par, Schauffele needed to finish 4-4 to claim his maiden major title.

Strong, accurate driving in the final round gave way to nerves down the stretch with Schauffele’s ball finding the bunker at the difficult par-17th hole at Valhalla Golf Club. A good recovery to the right of the green left the 30-year-old American with a relatively easy chip shot, but in the closing stages of a major golf championship palms get sweaty and even the easiest of golf shots can turn into knee tremblers.

After backing away due to a distraction in the crowd, Schauffele chipped to within three feet to secure a clutch par.

But more clutch golf was required down the epic par-5 closing hole.

Ensuring his drive would be well clear of the water hazard on the right, Schauffele turned over his tee shot and was left with an awkward stance in a bunker for his second. With feet in the sand and the ball well above his toes, the risky long iron was sensational, giving him another “relatively chip shot” to get up and down for birdie and the Wannamaker Trophy.

With DeChambeau anxiously watching a big screen from the driving range, Schauffele’s 6-foot putt snagged the left edge and circled into the hole for birdie. Schauffele etches himself onto the illustrious list of major champions while simultaneously deleting his name from the list of best players never to win a major.

“I really did not want to go into a playoff with Bryson. Going up 18 with his length, it’s not something that I was going to have a whole lot of fun with,” Schauffele said.

“I was able to capture that moment there, getting up-and-down on 17 was really big, and then that chip there on 18 was big for me, as well. I just kept telling myself I need to earn this, earn this and be in the moment, and I was able to do that.”

Viktor Hovland may well be the next player on the list Schauffele is now removed from. The smiling Norwegian also had a putt to get to 20-under par on the closing hole but his birdie attempt ran past on the low side, and missed the short putt coming back to make bogey fall to third place.

The best of the Australians this week was Min Woo Lee. Rudely referred to as a New Zealander on by the American broadcast team, Lee carded a final round 4-under 71 to finish in a tie for 26th place.

LIV Golf’s Lucas Herbert had a fourth-round to forget. An opening hole double bogey quickly smashed his chances of making a run at the leaders, eventually carding a 3-ver par 74 and falling into a share of 43rd place.