'Old' Schauffele outlasts rookie for 6th career win

NEW YORK • Tokyo Olympic champion Xander Schauffele insisted the future of golf is bright, after he edged out J.T. Poston and Sahith Theegala by two strokes apiece to capture the Travelers Championship in Cromwell on Sunday.

The American celebrated his sixth career PGA Tour victory and his second of the season after shooting a two-under 68 in the final round. He finished the tournament at 19-under 261, while Poston and the rookie Theegala settled for a second-place tie at 17 under.

"There's been a lot of talk about where golf is right now (due to the PGA Tour-LIV Golf feud), sort of some can say the fracturing of our game, but the future's bright," world No. 15 Schauffele said.

"And I feel like an old guy. I'm 28 years old and I feel like I'm one of the old guys out here on (the) Tour, unfortunately.

"I got all these young guys winning around me that it just motivates me to push harder and be better. So thanks to them."

Theegala grabbed a one-stroke lead after making birdie on No. 17, which marked his third birdie in a five-hole span. But he found trouble on No. 18, hitting his first shot into a fairway bunker and failing to hit his ball out of the bunker on his second attempt.

The rookie finished with a double bogey on the final hole, and Schauffele capitalised with a birdie on No. 18 to win the championship.

"I've been out here long enough, this is my sixth year on Tour, and you just know that no one's going to give it to you, not out here on the PGA Tour," added Schauffele, who captured his fifth PGA title in April at the pairs event in New Orleans with pal Patrick Cantlay.

"No one is going to hand you a win. I was very aware of that and ready to birdie the last and I thought that was going to be enough to get in a play-off. So just lucky it was to make me on top."

Theegala, who carded a 67, said he never imagined that things would go so badly on his final hole. His share of second, however, was his best PGA finish, improving on his share of third from February's Phoenix Open.

"I did everything I thought I had to do and it just happened to be everything bad culminated on one hole," the 24-year-old added.

"I did so much good. I didn't really even have to scramble much today. I don't think there's anything I'm going to be doing differently.

"Just going to keep sticking to my process and loving every moment of it and, yeah, just keep it going."

Poston, 29, carded a 64 to surge into a tie for second place.

Michael Thorbjornsen (66) finished fourth at 15 under and Chesson Hadley (64) was fifth at 14 under.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE