Golf fans are still talking about it. The way the pga championship 2025 leaderboard essentially became a game of "how much drama can Scottie Scheffler handle?" before he decided enough was enough. Quail Hollow Club is a beast. We knew that. But the 107th edition of this tournament turned into a psychological thriller that had nothing to do with the "Green Mile" and everything to do with a world number one who looked, for a split second, human.
It was May 2025 in Charlotte. Humidity was creeping in. Scheffler entered Sunday with a massive five-shot lead. Honestly, most of us were ready to hand him the Wanamaker Trophy by breakfast. Then the front nine happened. Scottie started spraying it left. He shot a 2-over 37 on the way out. Suddenly, the door wasn't just open; it was off the hinges.
The Moment the pga championship 2025 leaderboard Nearly Flipped
Jon Rahm is the type of player who smells blood. While Scheffler was battling a wayward driver, Rahm was busy hunting. He birdied the 8th, 10th, and 11th. For exactly 13 minutes, the pga championship 2025 leaderboard showed a tie at the top. 9-under apiece.
It felt like 2024 all over again, but with higher stakes. But here is the thing about Scheffler. He doesn't panic. He basically just resets his internal software. While Rahm stalled on the par-5 15th—a hole you absolutely have to birdie to win a major—Scottie went into terminator mode.
He birdied 10, 14, and 15. That was the tournament.
💡 You might also like: Huskers vs Michigan State: What Most People Get Wrong About This Big Ten Rivalry
While Rahm eventually imploded on the final stretch—shooting a 5-over over the last three holes to finish T-8—Scheffler just cruised. He carded an even-par 71 on Sunday. It wasn't pretty, but a five-shot victory in a major rarely is "pretty" when the course is this punishing.
Final Standings: Who Actually Showed Up?
If you look at the names behind the winner, it’s a weird mix of the usual suspects and some guys who definitely played the golf of their lives. Bryson DeChambeau continued his streak of being the "almost" guy in 2025, finishing in a three-way tie for second.
- Scottie Scheffler: -11 (Winner)
- Bryson DeChambeau: -6 (T-2)
- Harris English: -6 (T-2)
- Davis Riley: -6 (T-2)
- Jhonattan Vegas: -5 (T-5)
- Taylor Pendrith: -5 (T-5)
- J.T. Poston: -5 (T-5)
Harris English was the quiet assassin of the day. He shot a 65. That was the round of the tournament on Sunday. It vaulted him up 34 spots on the leaderboard. If he’d started the day even two shots closer, we might be talking about a very different trophy presentation.
Quail Hollow's Casualty List
Not everyone survived the Charlotte heat. The cut was 1-over, and it claimed some massive victims. Jordan Spieth? Gone. His quest for the career Grand Slam has become a bit of a tragic comedy at this point. He missed by a single shot.
📖 Related: NFL Fantasy Pick Em: Why Most Fans Lose Money and How to Actually Win
Justin Thomas, who won here in 2017, couldn't find the magic. He missed the weekend by two. Then you had the heavy hitters like Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson finishing at 9-over. It’s a reminder that Quail Hollow doesn't care about your resume. It cares about your approach shots on Friday afternoon.
One of the coolest stories was Jhonattan Vegas. He led after the first and second rounds. He was the first Venezuelan to ever lead a major after any round. He eventually faded to T-5, but for two days, he was the story of the pga championship 2025 leaderboard.
The Davis Riley Factor
We need to talk about Davis Riley. Most casual fans weren't looking at him on Thursday morning. But the kid stayed steady. A 72 on Sunday in those conditions, while playing in the final groups, is legitimate. He jumped 39 spots in the Ryder Cup rankings because of this finish. It wasn't just a big check; it was a career-altering four days.
Lessons from the 107th PGA Championship
So, what did we actually learn?
👉 See also: Inter Miami vs Toronto: What Really Happened in Their Recent Clashes
First, the gap between Scottie Scheffler and everyone else is wider than we thought. Even when he plays "bad" golf for nine holes, he wins a major by five strokes. He joined Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to win their first three majors by three or more shots. That is elite company.
Second, the LIV vs. PGA Tour narrative is mostly dead air at this point. Bryson and Rahm were right there. The leaderboard was a mix of everyone. Fans just wanted to see someone challenge the world number one.
Third, Quail Hollow remains one of the toughest tests in golf. The winning score of 11-under sounds low, but remember that Scheffler was the only person to double digits. Everyone else was fighting for scraps at 6-under.
What to Watch for Next
The pga championship 2025 leaderboard gave us a roadmap for the rest of the season.
- Monitor the Driver: Scheffler's left miss on Sunday is the only crack in the armor. If he fixes that, the U.S. Open is already over.
- The Harris English Resurgence: Keep an eye on him for the Open Championship. His ball-striking is back to 2021 levels.
- Ryder Cup Bubble: Davis Riley and Taylor Pendrith are now serious contenders for captain's picks. This week changed their season trajectory completely.
The Wanamaker Trophy has a new home in the Scheffler residence. It’s his first major outside of Augusta, and at 28 years old, he’s officially on a legacy run. If you didn't catch the back nine, you missed a masterclass in mental toughness.
Check your local rankings and Ryder Cup points lists. The movement after Quail Hollow was massive, and the summer swing is only going to get more intense from here.