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
Last Updated: 26/06/22 11:49pm
Xander Schauffele carded rounds of 63, 63, 67 and 68 to win the title
Xander Schauffele won the 2022 Travelers Championship by two shots ahead of J.T. Poston and Sahith Theegala at TPC River Highlands.
The victory marked Schauffele’s sixth career PGA Tour win and the first time he had successfully converted a 54-hole lead. He had held a one-shot advantage going into the final round on Sunday after rounds of 63, 63 and 67.
“It’s incredible,” Schauffele said.
“I was looking at a birdie just to get in the play-off and then saw there was a little bit of a hiccup here for Sahith when I was standing on the tee. Then, I knew I had to hit that fairway, followed by anywhere on the green to make that par.”
The hiccup Schauffele referred to was Theegala’s final hole. The American 24-year-old held a share of the lead after 16 holes and then a birdie on the 17th put him a shot clear of Schauffele.
But Theegala would have a nightmare on the 18th. He put himself deep in a bunker off the tee and failed to get out of it at the first attempt. His bogey putt then lipped out and he recorded a double bogey which returned the lead to Schauffele.
Schauffele would have no such drama himself, as his final tee shot landed on the fairway and he was able to record a birdie to seal the win.
Rory McIlroy ended his tournament nine-under par, tied in 19th. He recorded a final round of 67, including five birdies and two bogeys, but paid for mishaps on Friday and Saturday.
Scotland’s Martin Laird ended his competition 10-under par.
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