Xander Schauffele finished with a birdie on the 18th and therefore successfully converted a 54-hole lead into a PGA Tour win for the first time; Sahith Theegala had a nightmare on the 18th with a double bogey costing him a chance of victory
Monday 27 June 2022 09:01, UK
Xander Schauffele celebrated a sixth PGA Tour victory and second of the season with a two-shot win at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.
Schauffele took advantage of a final-hole blunder from leader Sahith Theegala to earn a first individual title since his Olympic success last summer, having partnered Patrick Cantlay to victory in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in April.
The world No 11 started the day with a one-shot lead but trailed by one as he walked to the par-four last, having mixed three birdies with two bogeys during the final round, with Theegala leading the way and closing in on a breakthrough PGA Tour success.
Theegala took two attempts to get his drive out of a bunker on his way to a double-bogey six, seeing him slip back to 17 under, as Schauffele hit his approach to the par-four last to three feet and set up a winning birdie.
"I've been out here long enough, this is my sixth year on Tour, and you just know that no-one's going to hand you a win," Schauffele said. "I was very aware of that and ready to birdie the last and I thought that was going to be to get in a play-off so I was just lucky it was to make me on top.
"I really think this was, in a small way, a big win for me mentally just because I sort of had to check myself. When you've been out here and things are going easy you just expect to play well all the time. Sometimes it's good to take a step back - and I thought I did that this week."
A two-under 68 saw Schauffele end the week on 19 under, while Theegala - who had started the final round in the penultimate group three shots off the lead - registered his best career finish as he tied for second with JT Poston.
American amateur Michael Thorbjornsen's second consecutive 66 saw him finish in fourth place on 15 under ahead of Chesson Hadley, while Cantlay - who started the day one back - faded to a share of 13th after a closing 76.
Cantlay was joined in the group on 10 under by world No 1 Scottie Scheffler and Scotland's Martin Laird, with first-round co-leader Rory McIlroy making four birdies in a six-hole stretch on his back nine to end the week in tied-19th.
The PGA Tour season continues on Thursday at the John Deere Classic, with live coverage from TPC Deere Run beginning via the red button from 12.45pm on Sky Sports Golf.
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