Scottie Scheffler’s Dominance at the PGA Championship: A Tale of Inevitable Excellence
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Picture this: the ball is in the air, and Scottie Scheffler stands frozen, his eyes tracing the arc of his tee shot. It’s a moment of pure anticipation, as the ball reaches its peak and descends with precision, landing just shy of the 14th green. It rolls forward, as if guided by an invisible hand, coming to rest a mere 2 feet, 9 inches from the hole. The eagle putt that follows is a mere formality, but it ties him for the lead at 8-under and serves as a bold reminder to everyone at Quail Hollow Country Club: Scottie Scheffler is inevitable.
For the first two days of the PGA Championship, the leaderboard was a colorful mix of unexpected names. Yet, as Scheffler eagled the 14th on Saturday and followed it up with birdies on the 15th, 17th, and 18th holes, reaching 11-under and securing a three-shot lead, it felt like the universe was realigning. Even this major, with its unique challenges and surprises, had to find its center eventually.
“I try to focus as much as I can on executing the shot, and there’s things out there that you can’t control,” Scheffler said. “I can’t control what other guys are doing. I can’t control getting bad wind gusts. I can’t control how the ball is going to react when it hits the green. All I can do is try to hit the shot I’m trying to hit. That’s what I’m focused on out there. Some days it works better than others.”
As Scheffler surged into the lead, his inevitability was underscored by the struggles of others. Quail Hollow’s notorious Green Mile stretch claimed its share of victims, with Jon Rahm suffering a bogey on the 17th and Bryson DeChambeau enduring a double bogey on the same hole.
“I’m three back with one round to go in a major championship,” DeChambeau said after his round. “So, I can’t complain too much.”
“I’m assuming I’ll be at least one shot back starting tomorrow,” Rahm said after reaching 6-under on Saturday. “But that’s a great position.”
The challenge for Rahm and DeChambeau is that the No.1 player in the world, Scheffler, still had more holes to play, and he navigated the Green Mile in 2-under. On Sunday, Rahm will start five shots behind Scheffler, while DeChambeau will need to make up six.
Three players are closer to Scheffler heading into Sunday than Rahm. Alex Noren, 42, recovering from a tendon tear in his hamstring, is three shots back and will play alongside Scheffler. Noren finished tied for 51st at last week’s Truist Championship. Davis Riley and J.T. Poston, both at 7-under, will follow. Riley has two top-10 finishes this season but also five missed cuts, with more missed cuts at majors than made ones. Poston has never finished better than 30th at a major championship.
In essence, Scheffler doesn’t have the world’s best players immediately on his heels. This is why, despite their deficits, Rahm and DeChambeau might be his most formidable challengers. Both are seeking their third major victory.
This is the first time since joining LIV that Rahm has truly contended in a major, with a chance to add to his tally. Winning the PGA Championship would not only give him three majors but also set him up for a shot at the Grand Slam at The Open Championship at Northern Ireland’s Royal Portrush, emulating Rory McIlroy‘s recent achievement.
“It’s hard to express how hungry I may be for a major, about as hungry as anybody can be in this situation,” Rahm said with a smile. “Very happy to be in position again.”
This week, Rahm has been steady, leading the field in strokes gained off the tee and ranking 20th in approach game, though he has lost nearly a full stroke around the green. It’s one of his most complete performances at a major since his 2023 Masters win, but it might still lack the firepower needed to catch Scheffler.
DeChambeau’s third round stalled what seemed like another Sunday at a major where he would be just a stroke or two from the lead. It’s no surprise that this course suits DeChambeau, given his strong driving. However, like at Augusta, his approach game (54th in the field this week) might once again hinder his quest for a third major title.
“All I can do is control what I can control, and if I go out and shoot 6-, 7-under, that’s what I’m focused on doing,” DeChambeau said, adding a crucial caveat. “Not that that’s what’s going to do it, but you never know.”
Leading up to Quail Hollow, much of the attention was on McIlroy, fresh off a historic, sport-altering Masters victory that completed his long-awaited Grand Slam. Yet, Scheffler, who had just won his most recent tournament by eight shots, was still a co-favorite and remains the sport’s true standard.
During the first two days, Scheffler shot rounds of 69 and 68. None of it seemed particularly impressive because his ability to shoot under par without his best game has become second nature. The bar he has set for himself is so high that the only surprise would be if he didn’t finish inside the top 10 at a tournament. Even that isn’t enough. He has had six top-10 finishes this season, but because he hadn’t won until the Byron Nelson two weeks ago, there was concern about his game. Scheffler has shown some on-course frustration but continues to preach patience.
“Golf is not really a game where you can force things. If you are playing a sport like football or basketball, you can force things based on adrenaline or pushing people out of the way or whatever it is,” Scheffler said. “Golf, I feel like it’s more letting the scores come to you, and you have to be a lot more patient, I think, in this sport than you do other ones, especially over the course of a 72-hole tournament.”
This week, Scheffler has played like the best player in the world again, ranking inside the top 10 in strokes gained off the tee, approach, and around the green. Most importantly, his putting has been more than serviceable (36th in the field), and his impressive mindset of bouncing back from bad shots or holes seems to be in top shape. It’s the kind of recipe that has won him two green jackets.
“I’m out there to get the most out of myself and try to beat up on the golf course, and at the end of the day, that’s what I’m focused on,” Scheffler said. “If I’m thinking about what somebody else is doing out there, that’s not going to be a good thing for me.”
On Sunday, Scheffler will have the luxury of focusing solely on himself. His chasers might claim they’re only concentrating on what they can control, but deep down, they know: To have any chance of lifting the Wanamaker Trophy, they need the sport’s most inevitable force to falter.
Originally Written by: Paolo Uggetti
