American JJ Spaun claimed the PGA Championship title at Wentworth with a closing round of 67, capitalising as unheralded Spaniard Manuel Elvira suffered an agonising final-hole collapse.
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Key facts
- JJ Spaun shot a final round of 67 to win the PGA Championship.
- Spaun triumphed by two shots at Wentworth's West Course.
- World No 294 Manuel Elvira let victory slip on the 18th hole and finished in a four-way tie for second.
- Spaun is the second American in three years to win the title, according to the BBC.
- It was a winning debut for Spaun at Wentworth.
JJ Spaun won the PGA Championship after a final round of 67, sealing victory by two shots at Wentworth’s West Course. According to the BBC, Spaun became the second American in three years to claim the title.
The American’s success came in dramatic fashion, with the outcome shaped by the collapse of an unlikely challenger. Manuel Elvira, the world’s 294th ranked player, had put himself in position to complete one of golf’s most extraordinary stories before his hopes unravelled at the last.
As reported by the Guardian, Elvira stood on the 18th fairway having just eagled the 71st hole and found the short grass on the friendly par five. A birdie would have sealed the title for the Spaniard, while a par would have forced Spaun into a playoff.
What followed was described by the Guardian as a form of sporting torture. Elvira pulled his layup into a bunker, flew the green, fluffed a chip into another sand trap and missed a bogey putt from four feet. The disastrous finish meant the 30-year-old, who had no professional win to his name, ended the week in a four-way tie for second place.
The Guardian noted that Elvira did exceptionally well not to burst into tears after the sequence, and that only those without compassion could feel no sympathy for him after coming so close to a fairytale victory.
Spaun, who was competing at Wentworth for the first time, secured the win on his debut at the venue. The Guardian reported that even Spaun had to be bashful at the manner of his success, given the way the title slipped from Elvira’s grasp.
Why it matters
The result underscores how quickly fortunes can turn in professional golf, with a little-known player coming within a single hole of a career-defining upset. For Spaun, the title arrived on his first appearance at Wentworth.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the PGA Championship?
American JJ Spaun won the PGA Championship after shooting a final round of 67, triumphing by two shots at Wentworth.
What happened to Manuel Elvira on the final hole?
Elvira, the world's 294th ranked player, needed a birdie to win or a par to force a playoff. He pulled his layup into a bunker, flew the green, fluffed a chip into another sand trap and missed a bogey putt from four feet, ending in a four-way tie for second.
How significant was Spaun's win?
According to the BBC, Spaun became the second American in three years to win the PGA Championship, and it was his first appearance at Wentworth.
Timeline
- Elvira’s fairytale crumbles at the last to hand Spaun PGA Championship title
The Guardian Sport: World No 294 lets victory slip in agonising fashion JJ Spaun triumphs by two shots at Wentworth We’ll come to JJ Spaun and Jeremy Clarkson later. Only those without an ounce of compassion in their body could feel no sympathy for Manuel Elvira. The Spanaird, without a professional
- Spaun wins PGA Championship after final round of 67
BBC Sport: JJ Spaun hits a final round of 67 to win the PGA Championship and to become the second American in three years to do so.