Three weeks before, at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, from May 16–19, 2024, the place was buzzing with excitement for the 106th edition of the PGA Championship, the second of the men’s four major golf championships. The event culminated in triumph for Xander Schauffele, who clinched his first major championship title in 2024. His victory is a testament to his skill and dedication. Despite a strong showing, Bryson DeChambeau had to settle for second place, and Scottie Scheffler was in the orange jumpsuit due to an unexpected arrest during the PGA championship. The reason behind his arrest was early in the morning. John Mills was charged for the on-site security of the event, and he was struck and killed by a shuttle bus near the entrance. Unaware of the situation, Scottie Scheffler arrived at the course and was arrested. He faced charges, including second-degree assault of a police officer. With lots of surprises, fans’ emotions, and excitement, the event ends.
This article will share some key moments and recap the PGA Championship 2024. Let’s delve into this in detail.
A Look Back at the PGA Championships
The first PGA Championship, a momentous event in golf history, occurred in 1916 at the prestigious Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, New York. Jim Barnes emerged as the champion, winning the tournament and receiving a diamond-studded gold medal and $500. Walter Hagen and Jack Nicklaus, the winningest players of the PGA Championship, won this tournament five times and made history. Hagen won four consecutive tournaments from 1924-1927, whereas Nicklaus won in 1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, and 1980. Gene Sarazen was the youngest player, winning the tournament in 1922 at 20 years of age, and the oldest winner was Phil Mickelson in 2021 at 50.
In its earlier days, this PGA Championship was scheduled during the fall season. However, in 1930, it was changed to summer, marking a significant shift in the tournament’s timeline. Another notable change occurred in 1958 when the championship adopted a 72-hole stroke-play format, shaping the tournament’s competitive nature. The 2022 PGA Championship added an extra layer of excitement to this tournament, which was the only one in the last 12 years to have a playoff, with Justin Thomas edging out Will Zalatoris. New York has hosted the most PGA Championships with 13, followed by Ohio with 11. Different changes are made yearly, but the intensity of holding the trophy always continues among the players. The players always give it their all, and it’s a testament to their passion and dedication. It’s an event that will be remembered for years to come.
2024 PGA Championship Prize Money
Position | Player | Score | Earnings |
1 | Xander Schauffele | -21 | $3,330,000 |
2 | Bryson DeChambeau | -20 | $1,998,000 |
3 | Viktor Hovland | -18 | $1,258,000 |
T4 | Thomas Detry | -15 | $814,000 |
T4 | Collin Morikawa | -15 | $814,000 |
T6 | Justin Rose | -14 | $639,440 |
T6 | Shane Lowry | -14 | $639,440 |
T8 | Billy Horschel | -13 | $521,417 |
T8 | Scottie Scheffler | -13 | $521,417 |
T8 | Justin Thomas | -13 | $521,417 |
T8 | Robert MacIntyre | -13 | $521,417 |
T12 | Alex Noren | -12 | $359,943 |
T12 | Rory McIlroy | -12 | $359,943 |
T12 | Taylor Moore | -12 | $359,943 |
T12 | Lee Hodges | -12 | $359,943 |
T12 | Dean Burmester | -12 | $359,943 |
T12 | Sahith Theegala | -12 | $359,943 |
T18 | Ryo Hisatsune | -11 | $230,764 |
T18 | Keegan Bradley | -11 | $230,764 |
T18 | Harris English | -11 | $230,764 |
T18 | Austin Eckroat | -11 | $230,764 |
T18 | Tony Finau | -11 | $230,764 |
T23 | Tom Hoge | -10 | $170,137 |
T23 | Maverick McNealy | -10 | $170,137 |
T23 | Russell Henley | -10 | $170,137 |
T26 | Tommy Fleetwood | -9 | $113,962 |
T26 | Brooks Koepka | -9 | $113,962 |
T26 | Corey Conners | -9 | $113,962 |
T26 | Brian Harman | -9 | $113,962 |
T26 | Min Woo Lee | -9 | $113,962 |
T26 | Kurt Kitayama | -9 | $113,962 |
T26 | Ben Kohles | -9 | $113,962 |
T26 | Mark Hubbard | -9 | $113,962 |
T26 | Tom Kim | -9 | $113,962 |
T35 | Brice Garnett | -8 | $79,182 |
T35 | Max Homa | -8 | $79,182 |
T35 | Doug Ghim | -8 | $79,182 |
T35 | Hideki Matsuyama | -8 | $79,182 |
T39 | Jordan Smith | -7 | $66,847 |
T39 | Joaquín Niemann | -7 | $66,847 |
T39 | Alexander Bjork | -7 | $66,847 |
T39 | Aaron Rai | -7 | $66,847 |
T43 | Dustin Johnson | -6 | $48,969 |
T43 | Grayson Murray | -6 | $48,969 |
T43 | Byeong Hun An | -6 | $48,969 |
T43 | Adam Svensson | -6 | $48,969 |
T43 | Lucas Glover | -6 | $48,969 |
T43 | Will Zalatoris | -6 | $48,969 |
T43 | Jason Day | -6 | $48,969 |
T43 | Matt Wallace | -6 | $48,969 |
T43 | Jordan Spieth | -6 | $48,969 |
T43 | Lucas Herbert | -6 | $48,969 |
T53 | Andrew Putnam | -5 | $32,587. |
T53 | Erik van Rooyen | -5 | $32,587 |
T53 | Jesper Svensson | -5 | $32,587 |
T53 | Patrick Cantlay | -5 | $32,587 |
T53 | Patrick Reed | -5 | $32,587 |
T53 | Thorbjorn Olesen | -5 | $32,587 |
T53 | Zac Blair | -5 | $32,587 |
T60 | Talor Gooch | -4 | $27,017 |
T60 | Adam Hadwin | -4 | $27,017 |
T60 | Gary Woodland | -4 | $27,017 |
T63 | S.H. Kim | -3 | $25,202 |
T63 | Rickie Fowler | -3 | $25,202 |
T63 | Cameron Young | -3 | $25,202 |
T63 | Tyrrell Hatton | -3 | $25,202 |
T63 | Cameron Smith | -3 | $25,202 |
T68 | Sebastian Soderberg | -2 | $23,537 |
T68 | Rasmus Højgaard | -2 | $23,537 |
T68 | Luke Donald | -2 | $23,537 |
T68 | Nicolai Hojgaard | -2 | $23,537 |
72 | Braden Shattuck | -1 | $22,830 |
T73 | Alejandro Tosti | E | $22,560 |
T73 | Martin Kaymer | E | $22,560 |
75 | Ryan Fox | 2 | $22,350 |
76 | Stephan Jaeger | 5 | $22,230 |
77 | Jeremy Wells | 6 | $22,140 |
78 | Brendon Todd | 9 | $22,100 |
Schauffele’s Stellar Performance
Alexander Victor Schauffele is an American professional golfer born on October 25, 1993, and highly relies on the PGA tour. Schauffele’s father played a significant role in his career because he was the one who introduced golf at the age of nine. In his amateur career, he was the individual winner of the California State High School Championship, playing for Scripps Ranch High School in 2011. 2014, he defeated Beau Hossler and won the California State Amateur Championship at La Costa Resort and Spa. In his amateur career, he had a record of 27 top-10s.
When he turned professional in 2015, he was ranked in the top ten of the World Amateur Golf Ranking. In 2016, he played the entire season, which consisted of 23 events in the web.com tour. Unfortunately, he completed the tour by placing in the 26th position on the regular season money list and missed a PGA Tour card for 2017 by less than $1000.00. He went on to win his first career PGA Tour event in 2018.
Alexander Schauffele A Champion’s Rise
Xander Schauffel displayed remarkably consistent and clutch play throughout the intensely competitive tournament. He shot the lowest 18-hole score in the history of the PGA Championship, a record-breaking 62, during the opening round at Valhalla Golf Club. His round was a masterclass in putting and ball striking, with birdies appearing on nearly every hole. Along with his impressive scurrying abilities, he saved par on the sixth hole with a crucial 15-footer. After this round, he took a commanding lead, sending a loud message to the rest of the field. After breaking the record in the opening round, Schauffele showed remarkable poise by refusing to let the pressure get to him.
He carded a solid 4-under-par 68 in the second round, continuing his consistent play—the same resilience followed in round three when Xander Schauffel was short once again, 4-under-par 68. He carried over into the last day of the tour with this unwavering performance. Schauffele’s goal in the final round was to seal the deal and win his first significant championship. He played his best last, finishing with an incredible 6-under-par 65. A thrilling birdie putt to seal the victory on the eighteenth hole was the highlight of the round.
Final Thoughts
After Xander Schauffele’s thrilling victory and incredible, record-breaking performance, the 2024 PGA Championship will live on in history. But there was plenty of controversy surrounding the tournament, with Scottie Scheffler’s arrest being one of the main ones. This incident demonstrated the highs and lows that can occur in professional sports.
