BRYSON'S SUNDAY CHARGE COMES UP JUST SHORT AT PGA

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bryson DeChambeau had just shot the lowest round of his major championship career, a bogey-free 7-under 64 on a pressure-packed Sunday at the PGA Championship. It happened on a day in which he wasn’t at his best, his driver not completely dialed in – although every other part of his game was, in his estimation, an A-plus.

It happened on a day in which he emptied the tank trying to chase down the leader who would not give an inch. It happened on a day in which the golf gods seem to be smiling his way, with DeChambeau taking advantage of a big break when a wayward tee shot on the 16th hole bounced off a tree and into the fairway. He followed with a terrific approach leading to birdie – the twist-of-fate kind of moment that often decides major titles. It happened on a day when he returned the karma, making sure a young fan whom he had gifted a golf ball actually got it, instead of the adult who decided to intercept the souvenir. This was in the heat of a final-round major, mind you.

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It happened on a day in which DeChambeau finished at 20 under, and in the previous 467 majors played in men’s professional golf, that would’ve earned him the title. But on Sunday at Valhalla, all it produced was a solo second, one shot behind Xander Schauffele, who birdied the par-5 18th to win his first career major in record-setting fashion at 21 under.

It was a valiant effort from the Crushers GC captain, but as DeChambeau sorted through the swirl of emotions dancing in his head late Sunday, the pride he felt in his performance was certainly tempered by the final result.

“Definitely disappointing, but one that gives me a lot of momentum for the rest of the majors,” he said. “I said today it was closing time, but it will be closing time hopefully over the next couple majors.”

Those next two majors can’t come fast enough. DeChambeau tied for sixth last month at the Masters, his best result at Augusta National. And now Valhalla, his best result in the PGA. He’s already won one U.S. Open, and he’ll go into Pinehurst next month with plenty of momentum, followed by the Open at Royal Troon in July.

But it may take a bit of recovery time to get over this one – not that he could’ve done much else in his effort, but simply because of his energy spent on the chase. He admitted his target number at the start of the day was 18 under and would’ve expected a 64 to be good enough to win, but Schauffele was near-flawless all day, bouncing back from his only bogey with two birdies early on the back nine.

“I gave it my all,” DeChambeau said. “I put as much effort as I possibly could into it, and I knew that my B game would be enough. It's just clearly somebody played incredibly well. Xander's well deserving of a major championship.”

DeChambeau started the day two shots off the lead and went out in 3-under, but he failed to birdie the two easiest holes on the front nine, the short par-4 fourth and the par-5 seventh – opportunities lost due to his faulty driver. He overcame the issues with impressive putting and a near-perfect short game; he led the field in Scrambling for the week at 90%. He made the clutch putts, including an 8-footer at the ninth to save par.

“I played well. Didn’t strike it my best all week,” he said. “Felt like I had my B game pretty much. My putting was A-plus. My wedging was A-plus. Short game was A-plus. Driving was like B. Shot 20 under par in a major championship. Proud of myself for the way I handled adversity.”

The wayward driver was in effect at the 16th, but the bounce off the trees set up his spectacular 8-iron from 219 yards that he knocked to within 3 feet for birdie. “I said thank you to the tree,” he laughed. That moved him within a shot of Schauffele.

After a par at 17, DeChambeau found the fairway bunker left with his tee shot at the 18th. It was intentional, as he didn’t want to go right. He had a bad lie, though, with a downward slope, and his second shot came up left of the green. He got up-and-down for birdie to tie Schauffele – the final roll of the putt creating the appropriate amount of suspense – then kept warm on the range, waiting to see if 20 under was good enough for the three-hole playoff.

Schauffele had two holes left. He scrambled for par at 17, meaning a birdie at the 18th would win in regulation. He got up-and-down, nailing the winning putt from 6 feet.

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

Despite the disappointment, DeChambeau certainly looked like he had fun too, being in the heat of a major championship battle and having plenty of golf fans cheering him on. They loved on him too, and when he signed autographs after his press conference, he gave one youngster the cap he had worn for the career-best round. His showmanship was nearly equal to his golf. It was a performance to remember – and to build on.

“I shocked myself a couple times. Putted fantastic. I don't feel like I missed one big-moment putt out there,” DeChambeau said. “… Definitely surprised myself, impressed myself and I know I can do it again, it's just going to take some time. Got to figure some stuff out.”

LIV Golf Houston is just three weeks away, then the U.S. Open immediately after that. Let the figuring begin.

(Photo by Scott Taetsch/PGA of America)