LIV golfer’s final-round charge captured viewers’ imagination and provided so many of the major’s memorable moments

Xander Schauffele won the 106th US PGA Championship but ­Bryson DeChambeau brought the ­thunder. Four days at Valhalla served as a reminder of ­DeChambeau’s star ­quality in a sport which has been ­fractured, possibly beyond repair, by the arrival of the Saudi ­Arabian‑backed LIV tour. Some shrugged when DeChambeau departed the PGA Tour for LIV; in Kentucky, he proved he has lost none of his ability to command attention. DeChambeau fell one stroke short of a playoff after ­Schauffele nervelessly holed out from 6ft on the 72nd green.

“I felt like I had my ‘B’ game pretty much,” DeChambeau said. “My putting was A+, my wedging was A+, short game was A+, driving was like B. I shot 20 under par in a major championship. Proud of myself for the way I handled adversity. Definitely disappointing, but one that gives me a lot of momentum for the rest of the majors. I said this was closing time, but it will be closing time hopefully over the next couple of majors.”

• American makes a birdie at final hole to claim a first major
• Bryson DeChambeau second on -20; Victor Hovland third

It seemed appropriate that this staging of the US PGA Championship played out in the home city of Muhammad Ali. Viktor Hovland swung and missed at Xander Schauffele all afternoon. Bryson DeChambeau, with typical force, did likewise. Schauffele is golf’s nearly man no more. He withstood immense pressure to claim the Wanamaker Trophy.

Bare statistics disguise epic sporting theatre during what quickly became a three-horse sprint. Schauffele, at 21 under par, saw off DeChambeau by one, breaking the record score to par in majors by the same margin. Hovland, such an integral part of the Valhalla story, closed at minus 18.

• Californian Schauffele looking for his first major
• Shane Lowry races up leaderboard with a 62

It was only going to take something special to switch discussion around this US PGA Championship away from Scottie Scheffler and his brush with Louisville law enforcement. The world No 1 unravelled on day three here, which was entirely understandable given the strain associated with four charges, including one for assaulting a police officer.

Shane Lowry took it upon himself to create a fresh and uplifting storyline. The Irishman stood on Valhalla’s 18th green over a putt of 11ft 6in which could have created history. If he found the bottom of the cup with his birdie attempt, he would have posted the first 61 in major history.