PGA TOUR
Charles Schwab Challenge
Burns Outduels Scheffler To Win Charles Schwab Challenge
Sam Burns won the Charles Schwab Challenge after defeating good friend Scottie Scheffler in a playoff. Burns, aged 25, drained a 35-foot birdie putt from off the edge of the green at the first extra hole for his third win of this season and fourth career PGA Tour title.
Burns began the final round seven shots back from third round leader Scheffler. The stunning win matched the tournament record for the largest 54-hole comeback. It was the second consecutive week a player has scored victory from seven shots back after three rounds. Justin Thomas managed that feat at last week’s PGA Championship.
Burns, ranked world No. 10, got off to a hot start on Sunday with three birdies at his opening four holes. The American dropped a shot at the 5th hole before bouncing back with three birdies at the 6th, 7th and 9th holes to cover the outward nine in 5-under 30. He made another birdie at the par 5, 11th hole to reach 10-under for the event before another bogey at the next hole. In toughening weather conditions, Burns finished his round with six straight pars to fire a final round 5-under 65 for the equal low round of the day. He posted a 9-under tally for the event as he entered the clubhouse two hours ahead of the final pairings.
During the back nine, five different players were at one point on the course leading the 9-under score set by Burns. However, matching Burns would prove a formidable task with high gusty winds whipping through the difficult Colonial Country Club layout in Fort Worth, Texas.
Brendan Todd missed the playoff by one shot to take solo third place at 8-under. The 36-year-old, who was featured in the final group, got to 11-under after a birdie, birdie start to the day. The three-time PGA Tour winner could not manage another red number from there and dropped three shots for a final round 1-over 71.
Davis Riley reached 11-under when he made his sixth birdie for the day at the 11th hole. The PGA Tour rookie was 5-under for the round at that point before dropping four shots over the closing stretch for a final round 1-under 69 to finish at 7-under and in a tie for fourth place.
Scott Stallings held a share of the lead at 10-under through 11 holes. The 37-year-old was searching for his first win on the PGA Tour since the 2014 Farmers Insurance Open. Stallings made bogeys at the 12th, 14th and 17th holes to fall back to 7-under with a final round 2-over 72.
Harold Varner III fared the worst of the contending group. The 31-year-old was trying to win his maiden PGA Tour title in his 183rd start. The world No. 39 was at 10-under through 11 holes and tied for the lead before disaster struck when he dropped eight shots in three holes. The 2016 Australian Open champion made a triple bogey at the 12th hole after four-putting the green from inside 20 feet. At the par 3, 13th hole he splashed his tee shot into the water en route to a double bogey. Then he made a triple bogey at the 14th hole. Varner produced a back nine 10-over 45 for a final round 78. He finished at even par and in a tie for 27th place.
Scheffler was the only player to hold on under pressure and match Burns at 9-under at the end of regulation play. The world No. 1 started the day with the outright lead at 11-under. The 25-year-old has enjoyed a phenomenal year with four wins including The Masters in April. The last player to win five times in a PGA Tour season was Justin Thomas in 2017. Scheffler produced two birdies and 16 pars to sign for a final round 2-over 72. The gritty Texan made clutch par saving putts at the 15th, 17th and 18th holes from 9 feet, 8 feet and five feet respectively.
Cam Davis was the best-placed Australian finishing at 5-under and in a tie for 7th place. The 27-year-old, who collected his maiden PGA Tour title at the 2021 Rocket Mortgage Classic, posted a final round 2-over 72. Matt Jones was one shot further back at 4-under and in a tie for 12th place.
PGA champion Justin Thomas missed the cut by two shots in his attempt to win on Tour the week after collecting his second major title. The world No. 5 shot 71 and 72 to finish at +3.
The PGA Tour moves to Ohio for the Memorial Tournament staged at Muirfield Village Golf Club. America’s Patrick Cantlay is the defending champion.
Final Scores
Charles Schwab Challenge
1. Sam Burns -9
2. Scottie Scheffler -9
3. Brendon Todd -8
T4. Scott Stallings -7
T4. Tony Finau -7
T4. Davis Riley -7
T7. Patrick Reed -5
T7. Kevin Na -5
T7. Jordan Spieth -5
T7. Mito Pereira -5
T7. Cam Davis -5
Other Australians
T12. Matt Jones -4
T48. Lucas Herbert +3
MC. Min Woo Lee
Photo credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images
