US PGA Championship: The Valhalla nail-biter that had everything

Schauffele was the first to birdie the last to win the PGA since Phil Mickelson in 2005 and the occasion before that was the late Payne Stewart in 1989.

It is a laudably rare feat to show such nerve and excellence at the crucial moment.

DeChambeau departed empty handed but had thrown everything at his tilt. It was some consolation that the 30-year-old LIV star emerged as an even greater fan favourite.

The loudest Louisville roars were reserved for this unconventional character, who posted his best major performance since winning the 2020 US Open in a Covid induced vacuum at Winged Foot.

Dechambeau brings much needed personality. While most leading players, Schauffele included, strive for a robotic, emotionless demeanour where highs and lows are treated the same, the Dallas based Californian does the opposite.

His celebration after holing from off the green for an unlikely birdie at the sixth will live long in the memory. There were still 12 holes to go but he was prepared to let all out.

He is a showman and the fans love it. This was a Kentucky sports crowd more than a gathering of exclusively golfing aficionados and they departed thinking better of the game after witnessing the engaging DeChambeau.

He wielded his 3D printed uniform length clubs with skill and power and produced a magical display on and around the greens to become the first golfer to shoot 20 under par at a major and not win.

With the freedom and time afforded by his contract to play the 14 tournament breakaway LIV Tour, DeChambeau has become a YouTube sensation. He is ahead of the curve in connecting with fans and doing so with a new found maturity.

“YouTube has helped me understand that a little bit more,” DeChambeau said. “When the moment comes, knowing what to do, what to say, how to act is really important.

“You know, when I was younger I didn’t understand what it was. Yeah, I would have great celebrations and whatnot, but I didn’t know what it meant and what I was doing it necessarily for.”

He added: “Now I’m doing it a lot more for the fans and for the people around and trying to be a bit of an entertainer that plays good golf every once in a while.”

Never mind that it proved a birdie fest, this was an epic PGA simply for its thrilling golf.

Scheffler’s untidy Saturday 73 robbed the Masters champion of the chance to pursue the grand slam, but given the events of the previous day it was entirely understandable.

His mugshot after being arrested trying to circumvent heavy traffic caused by an earlier fatal accident will be one of the enduring images from a surreal week.

Scheffler remains the man to beat at the pinnacle of the game, especially if the ramifications of last Friday’s incident do not prove significant.

“All of us are climbing this massive mountain,” Schauffele observed. “At the top of the mountain is Scottie Scheffler.

“I’m still not that close to Scottie Scheffler in the big scheme of things. I got one good hook up there in the mountain up on that cliff, and I’m still climbing.

“I might have a beer up there on that side of the hill there and enjoy this, but it’s not that hard to chase when someone is so far ahead of you.”