Brooke Henderson stepped it up late to end her two-year LPGA title drought with a victory in her home open on Sunday, firing a final-round 67 to edge Minjee Lee by one stroke to win the Canadian Women’s Open. Henderson lifted the trophy for a second time – seven years after her 2018 triumph made her the first Canadian since 1973 to claim the title. A two-time major champion, she claimed her 14th LPGA title but her first since the 2023 Tournament of Champions with a 15-under par total of 269. Lee carded a three-under 68 for 270.
Canada’s Brooke Henderson lines up a putt on the fourth hole during the CPKC Women’s Open
“I’ve been waiting for that 14th win feels like forever,” Henderson said. “To win it here makes it just so special. “I had family and friends here and I just thank God for allowing me to be back in this position and allowing me to have the courage and the strength to perform here.”
Henderson started the day tied for the lead with Lee and the two were neck-and-neck through the first nine holes. Both birdied the second and bogeyed the fourth, Henderson adding a birdie at the fifth and Lee a birdie the eighth before Lee dropped back with a bogey at 11. The Aussie – who won her third major title at the Women’s PGA Championship this year – would add three more birdies coming in. But Henderson’s birdies at 13, 14 and 17 – where she drilled a 12-foot putt to match Lee’s birdie and keep her nose in front – were just enough, much to the delight of fans at Mississauga Golf and Country Club.
Canada’s Brooke Henderson poses with the trophy after winning the CPKC Women’s Open
“It’s so special,” Henderson said. “I’m surprised I’m not crying because I thought I definitely was going to during this interview.
“The crowds were so incredible all week and I just can’t thank everyone enough for coming out,” she added. “They gave me so much confidence, and when I got things rolling just so much momentum.”
Japan’s Mao Saigo, winner of the Chevron Championship earlier this year, birdied five of the last seven holes in a bogey-free five-under par 66 that gave her second place on 273.
“Five birdies and no bogeys – it was a good day,” Saigo said.
Japan’s Akie Iwai, who rolled into Canada after winning her first LPGA title in Portland and led after each of the first two rounds, bounced back from a disappointing third round to post a two-under 69 and was alone in fourth on 274.
Claire Welsh, the tournament director for the Women’s Open, said she couldn’t have written a better ending to the week and that it sets expectations high for next year’s tournament at Edmonton’s Royal Mayfair Golf Club.
Epson Tour rookie Erika Hara drained her final putt on the 18th green at Wildhorse Golf Course to claim her first professional victory of her Epson Tour career.
Despite starting the round one shot off the lead heading into Championship Sunday, Hara felt that this weekend was her time for the spotlight. The 26-year-old carded ten birdies on the day to climb the leaderboard and finish the tournament with a three-day total of 18-under par.
Erika Hara Claims First Win of the 2025 Epson Tour Season at the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic
“I kept dreaming that we’d win the first tournament this year, and I’m very happy to win finally. I was able to train hard off the course. I was also able to shoot with confidence. This year, the shots were really good, so I think I’m able to get a stable score,” said Hara.
The 2020 Japan LPGA Open Champion settled in quickly, making birdies on holes three and five. Hara rounded out her opening nine with a total of five birdies, posting a 4-under 32. The Japanese native found birdies on holes 10, 11, and 13 as well as the 16th and 17th holes in her final stretch to post an 8-under 64.
2025 Epson Tour rookie Yana Wilson started the day just four shots back of Hara, ultimately finishing in solo third place. Wilson, the winner of the Reliance Matrix Championship presented by Epson, put nine birdies on her card during the round to post an 8-under 64, but was unable to secure her second victory. Sabrina Iqbal couldn’t get things to fall her way on Sunday, but still carded a 4-under 68 and a combined 15-under for the tournament. Despite not taking the victory, even being in the final pairing, the 24-year-old secured the best finish of her young professional career to secure her runner-up finish.
Hara, the newest Epson Tour champion, climbed into third place in the Race for the Card standings after receiving 500 points from her win at the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic. This is a major feat for Hara as she works towards potentially securing her LPGA Tour card for the 2026 season.
Erika mentioned, “This morning, I set the goal to make as many birdies as possible. That’s a goal today, and I focused on it and kept it going.”
As the first week of the final stretch of the 2025 season comes to a close, Erika Hara and the Epson Tour will travel to Garden City, Kansas, for the 11th playing of the Dream First Bank Charity Classic at Buffalo Dunes from August 22-24.
Press release by: Carly Haines, Digital Content Producer for the Epson Tour.
Rose and Spaun battled through three sudden-death holes before the first leg of the 2025 FedEx Cup Playoffs was settled. Justin Rose won the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first playoff event of the FedExCup Playoffs, in a playoff against J.J. Spaun. Rose made a birdie on the third playoff hole to secure his 12th PGA Tour victory. The win came after a strong late-round rally where Rose birdied four of his last five holes in regulation to force the playoff.
Rose overcame a three-shot deficit to Tommy Fleetwood over the closing holes and then defeated Spaun in a playoff. The playoff went to a third hole where Rose made a 10-foot birdie putt to win after Spaun missed a similar putt. He made six birdies in his last nine holes, including the two in the playoff. Spaun, the U.S. Open champion, also played well, making a 30-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole. Tommy Fleetwood, who held the lead for much of the tournament, finished one shot out of the playoff, along with Scottie Scheffler.
Justin Rose wins 3 hole playoff against JJ Spaun to clinch the FedEx St. Jude Championship
Rose told ESPN after the win, “When I bring my best I know I’m good enough to compete and play with the best players in the world”. This is Rose’s first PGA Tour victory since the 2023 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Rose earned 2,000 FedExCup points and $3.6 million, according to the PGA Tour. According to CBS Sports, Rose is the oldest European winner in the modern era of the PGA Tour.
Epson Tour sophomore Leah John drained her final putt on the 18th green at South Bend Country Club to claim the first professional victory of her career. John started the week with a new personal best, posting a 9-under bogey-free 63 on Friday, making the celebratory moment even more meaningful.
Despite having a three-shot lead heading into Championship Sunday, the Canadian felt some nerves after bogeying the first hole. The 25-year-old carded four birdies on the day to hold her 36-hole lead and finish the tournament with a total of 9-under par.
“I was super excited to play with Melanie (Green) and Leo today, so I was just looking forward to the day and learning from her and her experiences, and just prioritizing joy, sticking to my game plan, and just seeing where the day takes me,” said John. “I was ready for anything that came.”
Leah John winner of the 2025 Four Winds Invitational
The University of Nevada graduate settled in quickly, making three birdies in a row on holes five, six, and seven, posting a 1-under 36 on her opening nine. The nerves got the best of John as she made a bogey and double-bogey to start out her back nine, but dug deep to find a birdie on 16 in her final stretch to post a 2-over 74.
Melanie Green and Jennifer Chang started the day just three shots back of John, ultimately finishing in a share of second place. Green, the winner of the Island Resort Championship presented by Delta County Chamber, put an eagle and one birdie on her card during the round but posted an even par 72 and was unable to secure her second victory.
Chang couldn’t get things to fall her way on Sunday, carding an even par 72 and a combined 8-under for the tournament. Despite not being in the final pairing, the 25-year-old made two birdies, posting an even par front side. The University of Southern California alumna, found a birdie and a bogey on her finishing nine to secure her runner-up finish.
John, a first-time Epson Tour champion, jumped 77 spots in the Race for the Card standings after receiving 500 points from her win at the Four Winds Invitational. This is John’s highest rank of the 2025 season, number 22, putting the Canadian in a good spot to climb her way into the top 15 with five tournaments remaining.
“It’s super special,” John said of the win. “I said earlier that I love golf because of the game, but I think I love it more because of the people in it. It’s just nice to have a day like this, to represent all the hard work and the communities that have helped me along the way.”
As the final week of the Northeast stretch comes to a close, the Epson Tour will enjoy a well-deserved week off before traveling to Pendleton, Oregon, for the fourth playing of the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic at Wildhorse Golf Course from August 15-17.
VAN PELT WINS PLAY-OFF TO CLAIM STAYSURE PGA SENIORS CHAMPIONSHIP
After four grueling days at Trump International it was Bo Van Pelt who emerged victorious at the Legends Tour’s flagship event, the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship hosted by Colin Montgomerie, after a play-off with South Africa’s Darren Fichardt.
The pair were locked at -3 for the week – the only two players under par as strong winds produced extremely challenging playing conditions. Van Pelt had enjoyed a three-shot lead at one point in the middle of the back nine, but the gritty Fichardt kept battling as the American faltered and drew level with three to play. Nothing could separate the two over the closing holes as they both sought a first Legends Tour win and a dramatic play-off ensued.
Bo Van Pelt off the tee on the 1st hole day four of the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship
Both players crashed superb drives down the par-five 18th. Van Pelt was then first to play, hitting a majestic fairway wood from more than 260 yards to the middle of the green, while Fichardt seemed to injure his wrist as he struck his approach and found a deep fairway bunker. In taking two more to get to the green, his chance was lost and Van Pelt two putted for birdie and the win.
Having claimed the oldest senior championship in world golf, Van Pelt said: “It means a lot to me, it’s been a long road back and I can’t thank the Legends Tour enough. My first event at Costa Navarino was great and this was too. I’ve been playing pro golf for 27 years and the two I’ve played on this tour have been as good as anything I’ve played.”
The American was also full of praise for his vanquished opponent, who performed valiantly to force a play-off and even had a chance to win in regulation before three-putting his 72nd hole. “I can’t say enough about Darren,” said Van Pelt. “He’s a world-class player and he played really good today. I knew he wasn’t going to go away. I just played solid all week. I knew my game was in pretty good shape, but there was a lot of good players out here.
“I’ve just been trying to really get into my process, focus on my pre-shot routine. It’s easy to get ahead of yourself, but on this golf course, you really can’t do it. And I probably did as good a job this week as I have ever done in my career. My son was great. It was his first week on the bag, but he said a lot of good things at the right time. It wasn’t looking very good for me on 18 in regulation when Darren’s right there in front of two. But the play-off was a fresh start. I hit a really good drive and there at the end I just tried to focus on the shot at hand and not think about giving up a three-shot lead.
“My other son’s been caddying on the Champions Tour and so I feel like the luckiest guy in the world to win on this continent and win a huge event on the Legends Tour with your son on the bag – you’ve just got to pinch yourself.”
On a day where the wind swirled and momentum fluctuated, enthusiastic crowds at Trump International were treated to a back-nine battle royale as both players traded birdies and bogeys.
Van Pelt had looked to be cruising, with birdies on the 3rd and 4th taking him to -4. When he rifled a stunning 8-iron to five feet at the 13th and then holed for another birdie – as both Fichardt and Khan bogeyed – the lead was stretched to three and one hand was firmly on the trophy.
But Fichardt refused to go quietly and promptly chipped in for birdie at the next while Van Pelt overshot the green and couldn’t get up-and-down from a heavy lie. Once the American drove into a bunker on the 15th and dropped another shot the lead was tied and a grandstand finish set up. Fichardt will undoubtedly reflect on a missed opportunity having got onto the front of the green in two on the final hole of regulation play – but he left his long eagle putt short and then missed for birdie as well, matching Van Pelt’s par.
Elsewhere, home favourite Steven Gallacher mounted a final-day charge and surged into the top five with four birdies in a 69, but a bogey at the last derailed any faint hope of victory and he was forced to settle for a tie for fourth place with Mikael Lundberg who shot a 70. He was joined in the top-10 by former Open champion Paul Lawrie, who battled to a round of 71. “It was okay,” said Gallacher. “I played alright and gave myself a chance. It’s a pity about the bogey at the last. I went for the putt trying to maybe get third place and knocked it past and then missed it coming back. But at least I gave it a go.”
Order of Merit leader Scott Hend also carded a three-under-par 69 to finish the week at +1 and leap into third place and cement his position at the top of the money list. The top 10 was rounded out by Simon Khan in fourth, making a third consecutive appearance in the final group on Staysure PGA Seniors Sunday, with Steve Webster and Peter Baker at +4, with Sean Whiffin, Maarten Lafeber and Andrew Marshall joining Lawrie at +5.
Another one of the best rounds of the day came from another Scot – Greig Hutcheon – who made great use of his local knowledge as a former member at Trump International to get round in 68 blows and claim a share of 24th.
The tournament also saw a number of elite junior golfers from the local area competing in the Staysure Future Legends event, played over two rounds during the first two days of the main tournament. Dillon Middleton, who holds a 5.2 handicap at nearby Cruden Bay, won with a 36-hole stableford total of 61 points having played alongside Legends Tour players Santiago Luna and Andre Stolz.
“At Staysure, we’re incredibly proud to be long term sponsor the PGA Seniors Championship and support the next generation of elite amateur golfers by hosting the Staysure Future Legends Competition,” said David Morely, Chief Marketing Officer at Staysure. “Giving young talent the chance to compete alongside golfing legends in true tournament conditions is a privilege – and we’re thrilled to help create these unforgettable opportunities that will ultimately support their development in the game.”
The Legends Tour now moves on to Brocket Hall for the English Legends on August 22nd. Visit www.legendstour.com for more details and tickets.
For more information on the Legends Tour go to www.legendstour.com
Formerly known as the European Senior Tour and the Staysure Tour, the Legends Tour is the men’s professional golf tour for members aged 50 and older. Created in 1992, the Legends Tour’s active membership features many of the pioneering champions who played on the European Tour during the 1970s, 80s, 90s and beyond. Colin Montgomerie, Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam are among the winners of the John Jacobs Trophy, awarded to the golfer who finishes first on the Legends Tour Order of Merit.
The Legends Tour provides unmatched playing experiences for amateur golfers at its Legends Experience, Championship Pro-Am and Celebrity Pro-Am events. These experiences provide golfers with unique opportunities to rub shoulders with and play alongside legends of the game at world-class venues around the world. In September 2020, Ryan Howsam, Staysure Group CEO, acquired a majority equity share in the Tour in a ground-breaking joint venture with the European Tour, a unique structure whereby an individual has the majority ownership in a professional tour.
For the first time in five years, the Epson Tour has crowned an amateur champion.
Local superstar Mia Hammond joins current Epson Tour member, Sarah White, as the eighth amateur to win on the Official Qualifying Tour of the LPGA. White took home the trophy at the 2020 Founders Tribute at Longbow Golf Club after getting into the tournament the same way as Hammond, via a sponsor exemption. Hammond’s victory comes with a cherry on top, however, as she claimed the trophy in her home state in a professional setting on a course she has played twice before as an amateur.
Hammond joins current Epson Tour member, Sarah White, as the eighth amateur to win on the Official Qualifying Tour of the LPGA
The whole week felt like a win was meant to be for the 17-year-old. On Friday, she snuck in her round before play was suspended for the day due to darkness, beating the horn by just a few minutes. The second round was the same, as Hammond narrowly avoided inclement weather this time, finishing her second round within minutes of suspension.
While the breaks were falling her way, her play on the course is what separated the local amateur from the 101 professionals in the field as Hammond, who was the youngest player in the field in Sylvania, Ohio, seemed like the most poised. She put together back-to-back bogey-free rounds of 66 to hold a three-shot lead over Japanese rookie Erika Hara.
“It hasn’t set in yet, but it’s unreal,” said Hammond. “This week was a grind, I’ll admit, especially today, coming down the stretch. I’ve never cried like that on a course before, and it’s the most emotional I’ve felt in a very, very, very long time. First time I’ve ever cried happy tears, I’ll say that. It’s so surreal.”
Her first bogey of the tournament came after Hammond had already made 11 birdies on the week. The par-5 7th hole was the lone blemish on the amateur’s card on Sunday at Highland Meadows Golf Club, but she got the shot back just two holes later with a birdie on nine. Her back nine was steady to start, as Hammond made five pars to begin her closing stretch. A birdie on 15 then moved Hammond two shots ahead of the pack, but she ended up giving it right back with a bogey on 16.
Angela Stanford winner of the Legends of the LPGA portion of the inaugural Greater Toledo Classic joins Mia Hammond for a congratulatory selfie
“Looking back on it, after the first bogey, I kind of got pretty nervous again,” said Hammond. “Hit a bad tee shot on eight, and then I was like, ‘Okay. You just need to reset. You’ve been in this situation over the past year, more times than one,’ more times than I’d like to admit. And those are new experiences.”
The professionals in the field made Hammond earn it, refusing to go down without a fight. Coming down the stretch, Amanda Doherty, Yue Ren and Erika Hara all made birdies on the closing hole of the tournament to tie Hammond at 11-under. As most seasoned champions do, Hammond responded and responded with authority. A drive down the middle of the fairway on the reachable par-5 18th hole set Hammond up for the biggest shot of her young career. A perfectly hit approach caught the front part of the green, giving the local around 45 feet for an eagle three.
Needing only two putts to win, Hammond ran her first putt just a foot by the hole, setting up a tap-in to win her first event on the professional scene.
“If you would have told me two years ago that I was going to win this event, I would have told you you were stupid and probably just walked away, to be honest,” said the New Albany, Ohio, native. “I’ve come a long way in those two years. I’ve matured a lot as a person. And it’s just super special to be back in this place and somewhere that means so much to me.”
BERKSHIRE, England (July 27, 2025) — Padraig Harrington was so focused on his game that he didn’t notice a leaderboard or see Rory McIlroy walking in the gallery Sunday at the ISPS Handa Senior Open. He closed with a 3-under 67 to win his second senior major of the year. Staked to a two-shot lead, Harrington made eagle on the first hole on the Old Course at Sunningdale and no one got closer than two shots the rest of the way as he became the fifth player with a Senior Open and an Open title.
“I’m thrilled to have won but very satisfied that I’ve won a Senior Open with my two Opens,” Harrington said. “The fact that only five people have ever done it is quite special. I’m quite proud that I’ve managed to survive this long in the game.”
He joined Darren Clarke, Tom Watson, Gary Player and Bob Charles as players to have won The Open and the senior version.
McIlroy walked around for a bit on the London-area course, though it wasn’t much of a show. Harrington seized control late in the third round and never gave anyone much of a chance. Bjorn made a late charge to get within two shots, but that ended with a bogey on the 16th.
“The only time I saw a leaderboard was on 18,” said Harrington, who said he asked his caddie for an update on the 17th hole. “Was fully focused on what I was doing.
The Irishman was surprised to hear McIlroy, who is building a home in London, was at Sunningdale for the final round.
“I didn’t see him out there. Was he out there?” Harrington said. “I had the head down all day. I never saw anybody. I had no idea.”
Ireland’s Padraig Harrington has become only the fifth player to win the Open and Senior Open after a three-stroke victory at Sunningdale. The 53-year-old beat Justin Leonard and Thomas Bjorn as his final round of 67 took him to 16 under for the tournament. Harrington joins Darren Clarke, Tom Watson, Gary Player and Bob Charles as the only men to win both editions of the Open. He won the Open in back-to-back years in 2007 and 2008. It is a third Senior major for Harrington, who also won the US Open in 2022 and in June this year. He also finished tied for second at the Senior PGA Championship after missing out to Angel Cabrera by one stroke. Northern Ireland’s Clarke finished tied for 51st after he finished two over for the tournament.
As a result of a weather-filled 48 hours in Sylvania, Ohio, the Legends of the LPGA portion of the inaugural Greater Toledo Classic was shortened to 36 holes, putting athletes in even more of a time crunch to make a move up the leaderboard.
The final 18 holes were action-packed, with Laura Diaz fighting to hold onto her first-round lead, and LPGA Tour icons like Karrie Webb, Angela Stanford and Juli Inkster all threatening her spot at the top.
When the second round concluded, Stanford and Diaz shared the top spot after Stanford made a bogey on the par-4 9th hole, sending the pair to a playoff. Two extra holes resulted in yet another victory for Stanford, her fourth career win on the Legends of the LPGA.
“(Laura Diaz) played great the two days we played together. And I know she’s been working really hard on her game,” said Stanford. “That’s what makes Legends golf so much fun, is that you’re still playing against people who are uber competitive. So, you get those juices flowing again, and you get to compete again, and it’s so much fun, and I’m just so happy and grateful that we got to do it here this week.”
Despite battling an injury, the Texas native had one of the lowest scores of the day before the playoff, carding a 5-under 66 in the second round that saw four birdies, one eagle and one bogey. She joined Sweden’s Maria McBride, New York’s Moira Dunn-Bohls and Aussie Karrie Webb in the final-round 66 club.
“I was actually just happy to be playing this week. And I had to remind myself of that when I got back on the 18th tee,” said Stanford. “I’ve kind of been dealing with a minor injury, and I did everything in my power to get here because I love this place. I love the people here, and it would have broken my heart if I couldn’t play.”
Before the thunderstorms rolled in, the format was supposed to see Sunday’s pairings consist of two Epson Tour athletes and one Legend, a mentorship opportunity that Stanford was ecstatic about. But despite the change in plans, the 47-year-old was still happy to get to share the tournament week with the younger generation, collaborating on TikToks and sharing advice.
“This has been a phenomenal week. It’s been one of my most favorite weeks that I’ve ever played on Tour,” said Stanford. “Just to see the younger players and to get to talk to them and be their mentor if they want that… And I got some help with social media… I don’t know if it’ll play out, we’ll see how good of a learner I am, but there was a feel about this week that was so unique and so special. I think it’s nice to see a crossover of generations.”
Not yet old enough to compete in the U.S. Senior Women’s Open, Stanford will enjoy the win and continue preparing to lead the U.S. Solheim Cup Team to victory in 2026 in the Netherlands.
The leaderboard behind Stanford should not be a surprise to anyone who has been a fan of the Legends of the LPGA. Laura Diaz claimed second place following the playoff loss, and World Golf Hall of Famers Karrie Webb and Juli Inkster shared third. As many athletes in the field prepare for the U.S. Senior Women’s Open in late August, it’s safe to say that there will be another strong field with dramatic competition from some of the game’s most iconic athletes.
Every year, it comes down to the wire at Pinehaven Country Club. With two par-fives in the closing four holes, the drama and action tend to come down to the last hour of play. The 2025 Casella Golf Championship followed the script, with three players in the last two groups all having a chance to etch their name on the trophy. At the end of the day, it was the Epson Tour sophomore, Briana Chacon, who came away with the win, her second of the season and third of her career.
Chacon played steady golf all week, only recording six bogeys, with four of them coming during her second round. The final round for Chacon was no different, as she only put one bogey on the card while the birdies kept coming in. The 23-year-old was bogey-free until the 14th hole, but as all champions do, she did not let it affect her. She went on to birdie two of her next four holes down the stretch on her way to claiming her third career Epson Tour victory.
“This one is huge. I think for me, I just had such a big goal of just trying to finish this season strong,” explained Chacon after her win. “This just really helped instill that confidence and gave me good momentum, I think, going into the final stretch of the season. So it’s just an honor. And I’m just super, super excited to be here.
The win puts Chacon on the fast track to earning her LPGA Tour card for the first time, with the 500 points pushing her to No. 2 in the Race for the Card behind only Gina Kim. The California native joins a decorated list of champions in Lauren Morris, Jenny Bae, Lucy Li, and Lilia Vu, all of whom currently compete on the LPGA Tour. Chacon also joins Gina Kim and Riley Smyth as the only players with multiple wins for the season, adding to the list of impressive accomplishments she achieved in Guilderland, New York.
Briana Chacon wins the 2025 Casella Golf Championship. Her second of the season.
“It’s just a huge honor just to follow in those footsteps,” said Chacon. “Hopefully, one day I can be playing alongside them. Just this win makes me have more confidence and makes me believe that I can just be right there next to them.”
The Epson Tour now heads to Toledo, Ohio, for the inaugural playing of the Greater Toledo Classic hosted by Stacy Lewis from July 25-27. With only seven events remaining, the Race for the Card points mean more now than ever.
Article by: Luke Otto, Content Producer for Epson Tour
Scottie Scheffler made headlines ahead of The Open as he spoke brilliantly about ‘arrival fallacy’ and the often incorrect thought process that climbing the highest mountain will bring you everlasting fulfillment. While the world number one may find greater satisfaction off the golf course with his family, he certainly will get to enjoy what he described as a ‘euphoric feeling’ that ‘only lasts a few minutes’, as he crushed the rest of the field in Portrush, continuing his sheer dominance on the PGA Tour.
As he strutted up the 18th, you could barely tell that he was on the cusp of another major triumph, such is the coolness and aura of the man. In the end, he needed two putts to clinch his fourth major title and his second of the year after reigning victorious at the PGA Championship back in May, finishing on -17 and four shots ahead of the rest.
After a few seconds of letting the moment sink in, he lifted his arms aloft and let out a roar, finally releasing his emotions and celebrating with his wife and child. This was a special performance, and Scheffler is unquestionably something special.
“I don’t know exactly what to say… Thank you to the fans, I know I wasn’t the fan favourite today but I did hear a lot of USA and Dallas, Texas chants, so I appreciate you guys coming out to support. The fan support all week was tremendous,” Scheffler said.
Just like at the PGA Championship, Harris English finished second behind Scheffler at -13, while last week’s Scottish Open champion Chris Gotterup ended at -12. It has been a fine fortnight for him. World number two Rory McIlroy finished at -10.
Scheffler has a remarkable and frankly unmatched ability to make golf look so straightforward and take the intrigue out of affairs because of just how ruthless he is. And in truth, the ice-cool, laser-focused American was in firm control after the second round, and a four-shot lead heading into Sunday proved too steep a hill for his competitors to climb, especially with the way he was playing.
The 29-year-old now finds himself in esteemed company, joining Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only men to win the Masters, PGA and Open before the age of 30.
The Texas native’s superiority is frightening for every other mere mortal, with McIlroy describing him as ‘inevitable’. Scheffler has often been compared to 15-time major winner Woods, and he seems to have borrowed his trait of suffocating the rest of the field with sheer relentlessness.
Starting the day -14, Scheffler began his final round in sensational fashion, tapping in for birdie after a magnificent approach shot at the first. By the fifth hole, he had stretched his lead to a whopping seven shots as his rivals faltered in the wake of a man glowing with confidence.
His putter continued to be on fire throughout, but a sloppy unforced error in the bunker at the eighth meant he could only double bogey – his first dropped shots since the 11th hole in the second round – as Gotterup closed the gap to four shots. He finally proved he was human, as the smallest of openings appeared.
But as he always does, Scheffler bounced back with a birdie at the next hole, fending off any doubts that he could be reeled in by the chasing pack. A birdie on the 12th saw him move back up to -17, and there was no looking back from there, as he parred every hole from then on to get his hands on the Claret Jug.
“I’ve been putting it really nice all year,” Scheffler said. “I had a lot of solid starts. I was waiting for a week when the hole was looking big. I holed some really important putts on the front nine. The putter was definitely a weapon.”
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau, who ended the first round at +7, mounted a startling turnaround to end the week at -9, as last year’s champion, Xander Schauffele, ended at -10.
McIlroy, who many thought would be Scheffler’s closest competitor today, made too many mistakes, despite the best efforts of a phenomenal Northern Irish crowd to spur him on.
And what next for Scheffler? He now stands on the verge of completing the career Grand Slam, with a US Open title the only major title missing from what is already a stellar CV.
McIlroy became just the sixth player to complete the Grand Slam at the Masters in April, and it would be no surprise if Scheffler was able to become the seventh as soon as next year.
We are witnessing a spell of dominance in golf that hasn’t been seen for many a year, and if he can keep this up, who knows what records he can break.
