GREAT SCOTTIE: SCHEFFLER SURGES TO PGA CHAMPIONSHIP WIN

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has joined Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus in golf's history books with a five-shot victory at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.

Scottie Scheffler worked harder than he imagined and got the result everyone expected at the PGA Championship: A most pleasant walk to the 18th green with another major title secure in the hands of golf's undisputed No.1 player.

Scheffler was flawless when he had to be on the back nine of Quail Hollow, leaving the blunders to Jon Rahm and everyone else trying to catch him on a final day that turned tense until he pulled away.

Scheffler overcame an early stumble to card a closing 71 and finish 11 under par, five shots ahead of fellow Americans Bryson DeChambeau (70), Harris English (65) and Davis Riley (72).

The 28-year-old is the 10th straight American winner of the PGA and joins the late Seve Ballesteros as the only players since 1906 to win each of their first three majors by three or more shots.

"This back nine will be one that I remember for a long time. It was a grind out there," Scheffler said.

The margin doesn't match up with the grind. That much was clear when Scheffler raised his arms on the 18th green and then ferociously slammed his cap to the turf, a brand of emotion rarely seen by the 28-year-old Texas star.

Scheffler was five shots ahead coming to the last hole when he won his first Masters green jacket in 2022. He was four shots clear of the field when he won at Augusta National last year. And he had a six-shot lead at Quail Hollow.

But this sure didn't feel like a walk in the park.

He had a five-shot lead standing on the sixth tee. But with a shaky swing that led to two bogeys, and with Rahm making three birdies in a four-hole stretch around the turn, they were tied when Scheffler got to the 10th tee.

Incredibly, two hours later Scheffler closed with a bogey that no one predicted he could afford.

Rahm wound up seven shots behind, but the two-time major champion was the only serious threat. His chances began to fade when he failed to birdie the 14th and 15th holes, the two easiest holes on the back nine and the last good scoring chances.

A bogey on the 16th hole went he went from rough to bunker. Having to take on a dangerous pin at the par-3 17th, it bounded over the sunbaked green into the water for double bogey. And his last tee shot went left off the grassy bank and into the stream for another double bogey.

"I knew it was going to be a challenging day. Finishing off a major championship is always challenging," Scheffler said after being presented with the Wanamaker Trophy.

"I didn't have my best stuff ... but stepped it up on the back nine."

All that work to make up a five-shot deficit at the start of the day and Rahm closed with a 73 to tie for eighth.

"Yeah, the last three holes, it's a tough pill to swallow right now," said Rahm, his first time seriously contending in a major since he left for the Saudi riches of LIV Golf two years ago.

"I'll get over it. I'll move on. There's a lot more positive than negative to think about this week. I'm really happy I put myself in position and hopefully learn from this and give it another go in the US Open."

Scheffler finished at 11-under 273 and picked up his 15th victory in just his sixth year on the PGA Tour. Dating to 1950, he is the third-fastest player to go from one to 15 tour wins, behind only Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, and even then by a matter of months.

Scheffler came into the PGA Championship off an eight-shot victory in the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. And then he won a major by five. It was the first time since Woods in 2000 that a player won consecutive PGA Tour starts by five shots or more in the same season.

With PA

- Doug Ferguson and Phil Casey 

WHY RORY MCILROY'S DRIVER MAY HAVE VIOLATED PGA CHAMPIONSHIP RULE AS HISTORY REPEATS

The Masters champion was forced into a last-minute change before his struggles at Quail Hollow.

Rory McIlroy has been using a different driver this week. (Image: Getty)

Rory McIlroy might have narrowly made the cut at the PGA Championship, but he had to do it without his favoured driver. The Northern Irishman teed off as the pre-tournament favourite at Quail Hollow, but was left fighting to simply make the weekend after a roller coaster second round.

McIlroy began the day three-over-par and, at one point, appeared to be charging as he reached one under after 10 holes. His progress stalled, though, and he eventually carded a 69 after six birdies and four bogeys. That left him one-over-par, meaning he survived by just one shot, but is still nine back from leader Jhonattan Vegas.

However, it has emerged that the 36-year-old had to deal with a last-minute club switch before his first round on Thursday. CBS Sports reported that his regular driver was deemed ‘nonconforming’ after tests by the USGA.

The sanction was due to the worn-down carbon face of McIlroy’s Qi10 club. This can occur if a driver has been used frequently, and the more the face flexes on impact, the more head speed that can be generated.

McIlroy has been using his current driver since the start of last year. Officials have now judged it to be producing a ‘Coefficient of Time’ (CT) that is too high. The higher the CT, the faster the ball will come off the face, which potentially increases distance off the tee. 

McIlroy is deemed one of the fastest and most powerful players on the tour, meaning the life cycle of his drivers is likely to be shorter than most. Indeed, it’s not the first time the Grand Slam champion has fallen foul of the regulations.

He was also forced into a late change at the Players Championship in TPC Sawgrass two years ago. Rival Xander Schauffele suffered the same fate at the 2019 Open.

Regardless, the world No.2 has been in no mood to discuss the controversy or his performance at Quail Hollow. After both rounds, he’s headed straight off the course after declining to speak to the media.

- FRASER WATSON