NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler couldn't conjure up the late-round magic that has been the staple of his 2026 season Sunday at the PGA Championship.
Scheffler's title defense that started with so much promise Thursday ended quietly at Aronimink Golf Club with a 2-under 278 and a tie for 14th.
The world No. 1 was tied for the lead at 3-under 67 on Thursday, the only time in his career that he led or shared first in the opening round of a major. He posted consecutive 71s in chilly, windy conditions in the middle rounds and, at 1 under, was five strokes back at the start of warmer, calmer Sunday.
This time, however, there was nothing resembling the closing kick that carried him to a seconds at The Masters and Doral, a third in Phoenix or fourth at Pebble Beach.
Scheffler missed a 4-foot birdie putt at No. 3 and failed to convert two 3-foot par putts on the back nine.
Now, he'll try to complete the career Grand Slam at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in New York next month.
Alex Smalley and Matti Schmid got great payoffs with their top-five finishes at the PGA Championship: an invitation to The Masters for the first time.
The top 15 finished in the PGA earn a return trip to the championship in 2027 at PGA Fresno in Texas.
Smalley, tied for the third-round lead with Schmid, finished second with Jon Rahm, three strokes behind winner Aaron Rai of England. His long birdie putt to close out the championship delivered a big bonus.
“Thrilled to be going to Augusta next year,” the 29-year-old said. "I knew that top four and ties, I believe it is, gets you into Augusta. So I knew that was a possibility.
“I wasn’t really thinking about it honestly until I hit the green on 18, saw where I was. Was really just trying to two-putt, just trying to lag it up. That 20-footer up the hill on 18, I was just trying to get a tap-in. Fortunate enough that it went in.”
Another payoff for Smalley's 6-under total and high finish was a huge move in the world rankings. Smalley started the week 78th and will move to 42, well inside the top 60 to earn a spot in the U.S. Open next month.
Schmid picked up just one shot on par in the final round and finished in a tie for fourth with Ludvig Aberg and Justin Thomas at 5 under.
Padraig Harrington would have won the senior division of the PGA Championship at Aronimink, if one existed.
The 54-year-old Irishman, who won the title in 2008, chipped in for eagle from the greenside bunker at the par-5 16th and chipped in from 25 feet from off the green on the 72nd hole for a 69 and 1-under finish in his 26th PGA. He finished tied for 18th.
That places the PGA Tour Champions regular in some exclusive company, joining Sam Snead and Gene Sarazen as players 54 or over to finish in the top 20.
He kept pace against the younger competition by averaging 314 yards off the tee in the final round and needed 26 and 27 putts in his last two rounds after heading into the weekend at 3 over.
A six-time starter this season on the 50-and-over circuit, Harrington electrified the galleries crowding the final holes with his late-round heroics in his best finish in the event since a fourth in 2021.
Slowed by bogeys at Nos. 8 and 9 to close out his front side, Harrington reeled off five straight pars on the back before another bogey at the 15. Three shots later, he was high-fiving members of the gallery after burying his bunker shot from 15 yards for an eagle 3 on the par-5 hole that played second-easiest this week.
The 2007 and 2008 British Open champion made some more magic at the final hole, using a wedge from just off the fringe and holing out from 25 feet.
Justin Thomas kept the beers in the fridge as the leader in the clubhouse at the PGA while waiting for a potential playoff.
As the wait dragged on, Thomas had time to crush a cold one, or two, with the hope the PGA would serve up a playoff.
All Thomas got after a prolonged wait — locked in but not loaded — at Aronimink as he tried to win his third career PGA. Ultimately, he tied for fourth behind champion Aaron Rai.
Thomas shot 5-under 65 and carded one of the top scores of the day that was good enough to contend. Just not good enough to claim the Wannamaker Trophy.
“We did our part,” Thomas said.
Thomas, the PGA winner in 2017 and 2022, grabbed a share of the lead at 4 under with a birdie on the sixth hole. He followed with four straight bogeys to drop six back behind the leader and would up tied for 31st.
Thomas, still playing his way from back surgery last year for a herniated disk, finished at 5-under 275.
Thomas learned through past experience how to handle himself in the clubhouse.
Thomas had been the leader in the clubhouse before, at the Travelers Championship in 2016, and found out that perhaps sobriety was the best way to handle the wait. Assuming his score would eventually fall off the leaderboard, Thomas said he relaxed with a friend and had a few beers. His caddie went out for sandwiches at lunch.
“Next thing you know, it’s 2 1/2 hours later, and I’m still the leader in the clubhouse,” Thomas said with a laugh. “The wind picked up 15, 20 miles an hour, and the leaders were on like 15. (My caddie), he’s at a Subway like an hour and a half away. He’s like what do we do?
“I’ve never not wanted to be in a playoff before, but I kind of didn’t want to be in a playoff then. That wouldn’t have been a good situation. So I’m not going to do that, I promise you that.”
No post-round beers at Aronimink for Thomas during the wait.
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