CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A year and a day after his booking mug shot became a lasting image of the PGA Championship, Scotty Schaeffler was raising the Wanamaker trophy to see everyone on Sunday as the world’s No. 1 golfer won his third career major at the Quiz Hollow Club.
Schaeffler announced an even par 71 with five-stroke wins over Harris English, Bryson Deccanbaugh and Davis Riley in the final round of the 107th PGA Championship. For at least a moment, Schaeffler made a turn and joined with Spain’s John Lahm on a slow, wet afternoon in North Carolina, so for at least a moment what seemed inevitable began to escape at the beginning of the day.
But then, Schaeffler stepped on the back nine gas, as he had done many times before. Rahm collapsed into the “Green Mile.”
After making the final putt, Schaeffler threw his arms into the air as the crowd chanted his name. He put on a hat on green. He finds his wife, Meredith, and son, Bennett. His father, Scott, told him: “The words can’t explain what we witnessed. You are very tough. We are very proud of you.”
In just 366 days, Schaeffler’s story was to add a Wannamaker trophy to an already notable career, including two Masters Green Jackets, from handcuffs behind a squad car.
Schaeffler joined Seve Ballesteros as the only golfer in the last 100 years, earning each of the first three majors with three or more strokes. He captured the 2002 Masters and the 2024 Masters with Rory McIlroy and the 2024 Masters with Rudig Åberg.
This was the 15th PGA Tour victory for 28-year-old Schaeffler. Since World War II, only two other golfers have won 15 times on the tour, and by the age of 29 he has captured three majors. Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
After wasting a three-stroke lead, Schaeffler retrieved it with a 9-foot birdie putt on No. 10. He went ahead of the two with a seven-footer on No. 14 and led three times when Rahm made his first bogey of the round on No. 16.
Another birdie on the 15th gave Schaeffler a four-shot cushion heading for the “Green Mile.” It grows to 5 before he reaches the 16th green.
Rahm was tied with Schaeffler at 9am after hole 12. He’s Nos. I watched birdies on 13 and 14, but missed both. After making a par on the 15th, Rahm hit a tee shot on the left of the par 4 16th way, leading to a bogey.
On the par 3 17th, his tee shot bounced from green into the water, making him a double bogey five. In the final hole he hit a drive into the stream on the left, leading to another double bogey. He was over five in his last three holes, tied 8th at 4 under.
Schaeffler began the day with a three-stroke lead, but when he turned in 2 over 37, his advantage fell to one with Rahm, making birdies on No. 8 and 10 to charge.
Larm, who started round five shots behind Schaeffler, took another birdie and lead in par 4 11th place. Rahm was wild from the tee and found only two of the first 10 fairways, but the first 11 holes only needed 13 putts. He missed the green and was spectacularly missing when he avoided a bogey.
For Schaeffler, it felt much different to last year’s PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
On May 17, 2024, Schaeffler found himself behind a squad car after a Louisville metro police officer said he tried to run around the scene where the median crash fell, contrary to his orders, to stop the golfer. Traffic outside the golf course had stopped after a man was hit and killed on a shuttle bus around 5am.
According to the arrest report, det. Brian Gillis was dragged “to the ground” and after Schaeffler’s car “accelerated forward,” he said, “suffering pain, swelling and abrasions on his left wrist.”
Schaeffler was charged with felony assault and several misdemeanors. However, 12 days after his arrest, Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell dropped the charges against Schaeffler, saying evidence supported the golfer’s characterization of the case as a “big misunderstanding.”
Schaeffler, who entered the PGA Championship last year, has won four of his last five starts, including the second master’s victory in April. After being booked at Downtown Detention Center, he was released on bonds an hour and a half before his second tee time.
For some reason, Schaeffler posted a 5-under 66 that day. He slid to 2 over 73 in the third round, knocking him out of the hunt. He bouncing off with 65 on Sunday, finishing eighth at 13 under, tied an eight-stroke behind winner Xander Schauffele.
