Hto the last hole of the last round. Golf is a cruel sport, which is sometimes measured in centimeters or in a moment of blackout within the clarity that a good player can have. That differentiated Xander Schauffele (-19), winner of the Travelers Championship, by Sahith Theegala (-17), who reached the last shot with a chance of winning on a day that also featured amateur Michael Thorbjornsen (-15).
the boy from the Stanford University was battling for victory. On the PGA, an amateur hasn’t won since 1991. A certain Phil Mickelson. The one who is now the great outlaw of the sports world lifted the last crown without being a professional, and Thorbjornsen didn’t make it but raised applause from the staff. A great ‘rush’ between holes 8 and 11 with four birdies put him in the fight. On the 12th and 13th he was knocked out. He finished fourth, the best non-professional result in recent years. The last one was from Jon Rahm.
In the battle for victory, Schauffele overcomplicated himself. Partly because he played comfortably all day. Threatening him on Saturday, Patrick Cantlay missed fairways from the start, and soon showed it wasn’t his day. Not even his year, except for that Zurich Classic that he precisely won with Xander. As it was, Schauffele was leaving although Theegala asked to pass.
The Californian player completed a tremendous nine seconds. On the 9th he made a long putt, on the 13th from the antegreen in a spectacular way and on the 16th he tied the contest. Schauffele did not get the birdie with two good putts and from a distance Theegala was placed first with -19. Schauffele was not working from the green and it seemed that he would continue with his curse of being the leader of Saturday.
But 18 changed the game. Theegala was fatal and sent the ball to the bunker. Difficult position and two paths: either the simple to the fairway, or play to the green. He opted for the complicated one, hit clean but the ball did not leave the sand when it bounced. He had to take out the bogey and he didn’t even get that. A pit tie sent him double-bogeying. Schauffele could sentence and sentenced. Exit as the canons command, perfect second shot and the short game carburized. Champion in a deadly, defining and precious 18.
