It was 399 days since Davis Riley’s first PGA Tour victory. Over a year later, the 27-year-old is back in the winner’s circle.
Riley captured the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, shooting a final-round 70 on Sunday. Playing in the final group with Scottie Scheffler, Riley outdueled the world No. 1 to secure his second PGA Tour win.
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“Coming into today was going to be tough,” Riley said on the CBS broadcast. “I’m proud of the way I stayed in it, fought some adversity early, just kind of hung in there and played some really good golf down the stretch.”
Riley started Sunday as the 54-hole leader, four shots ahead of Scheffler. In his 90th PGA Tour start, this was Riley’s second 54-hole lead/co-lead of his PGA Tour career.
His lead shrunk to three shots with an early bogey at the second hole. A doable deficit to overcome for Scheffler, who has four wins in 2024, including the Masters.
Riley, whose lone PGA Tour victory occurred at the 2023 Zurich Classic team event in New Orleans alongside Nick Hardy, didn’t appear fazed by the moment. Calm and poised, Riley drained a 27-foot birdie putt on the par-3 fourth. After bogeying the par-4 fifth, Riley responded with a birdie on No. 9.
With Scheffler bogeying holes Nos. 4 and 5, Riley’s lead grew to six shots making the turn.
Birdie on nine for Davis Riley.
He leads by six at the turn. pic.twitter.com/auggwxrLxI
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 26, 2024
On the back nine, Riley shot an even-par 35. After a birdie on the par-5 11th, Riley recorded two bogeys on holes 12 and 15. His lead decreased to three shots, thanks to a late charge from Keegan Bradley, who shot a final-round 67.
Riley kept his place atop the leaderboard, winning by five. A round-defining shot came on the 17th, when Riley stuck his 161-yard iron approach to 3.5 feet from the hole. He sank the birdie putt, paving the way to victory.
It was a tremendous week of ball striking for Riley. He finished sixth in strokes gained: off the tee (3.658) and second in strokes gained: approach the green (7.869). On the greens, Riley was effective with the putter, ranked fourth in strokes gained: putting (5.921).
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Scheffler finished tied for second after firing a 71. He struggled with the putter Sunday, only making two birdies on his card. It capped off a week where Scheffler recorded a triple bogey in the first round and tied his low 18-hole score of 2024 with a third-round 63.
Riley’s win occurs amid a tragic week in professional golf. Grayson Murray, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, died by suicide Saturday morning, his family said in a statement released through the tour.
On Friday, Murray withdrew from the second round of the Charles Schwab Challenge citing an illness. He had finished all but the final two holes in the round.
In honor of Grayson. pic.twitter.com/Yrhdmc9mtF
— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) May 26, 2024
Riley paid tribute to Murray in his post-round interview on CBS, saying that there was “a little extra to play for” Sunday.
“Super sad day in the golf world but my heart goes out to him and his family,” Riley said.
Per the Murray family’s request, golfers and caddies wore black and red ribbons Sunday to honor Grayson. During final rounds on the PGA Tour, Grayson wore red and black, saluting his favorite NHL team, the Carolina Hurricanes.
“Life wasn’t always easy for Grayson, and although he took his own life, we know he rests peacefully now,” Grayson’s parents, Eric and Terry Murray, said in the statement released Sunday. “Please respect our privacy as we work through this incredible tragedy, and please honor Grayson by being kind to one another. If that becomes his legacy, we could ask for nothing else.”
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
(Photo: Tim Heitman / Getty Images)
