Ben Griffin earns first individual PGA Tour victory at Colonial

Ben Griffin figured it would not be simple even after instantly breaking his tie with co-leader Matti Schmid and main by 5 pictures simply 5 holes into the ultimate spherical at Colonial.

Schmid saved it attention-grabbing all the best way to the tip.

Griffin earned his first particular person PGA Tour victory a month after profitable a staff occasion, taking pictures 1-over 71 to complete at 12-under 268 within the Charles Schwab Problem, one shot forward of Schmid as each struggled on a heat day with wind gusts round 30 mph at Hogan’s Alley.

Charles Schwab Problem payout at Colonial

The purse for the PGA Tour in Texas is $9.5 million, based on BetMGM, with a $1,710,000 winner’s share.

Ben Griffin beats Matti Schmid by 1

Schmid compelled Griffin to make a 4-foot par putt on the 72nd gap after his chip from the deep tough behind the inexperienced went in for birdie. Griffin saved par from the tough, standing in a bunker whereas choking manner down on the membership with the ball effectively above his toes on his chip. Schmid shot 72.

“Initially, it was like whack-a-mole hitting that third shot,” Griffin mentioned. “In my head, I used to be pondering Matti would possibly most likely make that. Fortuitously, I had that 4-footer. I felt fairly good over it. Simply left edge and belief it.”

Griffin and Schmid, the 27-year-old German searching for his first tour win in his 79th begin, had matching scores every of the primary three days.

Schmid was the one who surged in entrance early within the third spherical, taking a three-shot lead. Griffin had a five-shot edge after simply 5 holes within the closing spherical, and eventually let Schmid get inside a stroke with a two-shot swing at 16 earlier than getting the lead again to 2 with a gap to play.

Scottie Scheffler’s rating

Scottie Scheffler, the world No. 1 and hometown favourite who gained the PGA Championship final week, could not match his Saturday surge from 10 pictures again. The three-time main winner started the day six pictures again, however had simply two birdies and a bogey in a 69 to complete 8 beneath.

Scheffler fell in need of turning into the primary to win three consecutive begins since Dustin Johnson eight years in the past, and simply missed a fourth consecutive 12 months of ending within the high three at Colonial. He tied for fourth, one shot behind Bud Cauley, who shot 67.

“General it was a very difficult day,” Scheffler mentioned. “I believe Friday most likely harm me by way of profitable this match, however general three of the 4 days I performed what I felt was fairly stable.”

Rickie Fowler by no means threatened the co-leaders, both, beginning slowly and ending his fading hopes with a 7 on the par-5 eleventh. Fowler, who entered ranked 127th after being within the high 25 as just lately as early 2024, shot 74.

The 29-year-old Griffin teamed with Andrew Novak, who completed 6 beneath at Colonial, for the victory on the Zurich Basic in New Orleans final month. They left openings for others then, simply as Griffin did Sunday.

Griffin and Schmid took a four-shot lead into the ultimate spherical, and stayed 1-2 regardless of each ending over par for the day.

Schmid had six bogeys and a double bogey to go together with six birdies, whereas Griffin had 4 bogeys after opening with an eagle and a birdie.

“No lead is ever protected on the PGA Tour,” Griffin mentioned. “It may possibly really feel like a match’s performed. Possibly if it is Scottie Scheffler with a five-shot lead, it is performed. I used to be attempting to maintain the pedal down. I saved hitting a variety of drivers, saved attempting to present myself birdie putts. I simply did not give myself a variety of birdie putts.”

Griffin hit simply 4 of 14 fairways and 7 of 18 greens however made consecutive testy par putts on the again 9, the primary on the par-4 14th leaving him with a three-shot lead when Schmid missed a shorter putt for par.

Schmid acquired inside one by hitting his tee shot inside 3 toes on the par-3 sixteenth earlier than Griffin missed a par putt. The momentum swung once more on the subsequent gap when Griffin saved par from behind a tree within the fairway and Schmid curiously aimed away from the opening together with his ball plugged in a bunker, ended up within the tough and made bogey.

“The one two locations have been proper of the inexperienced or lengthy left, and I believe then I’d have needed to chip up and over,” Schmid mentioned. “I believe the up-and-down was a little bit extra easy. At that time I simply tried to make a 5, and fortunately I did it.”

Then he made issues attention-grabbing on the ultimate gap.

“Truthfully I simply tried to hit it lengthy left a little bit bit,” Schmid mentioned. “Hit it fairly excessive so it might cease fairly rapidly and simply got here out a bit proper and went in. A little bit of luck, however deserved it.”

Tommy Fleetwood had the different spotlight on 18, after taking pictures a 31 on the entrance 9 to get into rivalry however shedding momentum with a bogey at 11. His birdie putt on the ultimate gap stopped on the lip of the cup, and he waited virtually 30 seconds hoping the gusting wind would push the ball into the opening. Nature obliged.

Fleetwood shot 68 to tie Scheffler in his forty first top-10 end on the PGA Tour, probably the most by a participant and not using a victory since 1983.