Sunday’s final round of the Charles Schwab Challenge saw Argentinian golfer Emiliano Grillo almost choke away a two-stroke lead after a rough bounce on the 18th hole found him in the water. He miraculously made up for this once it went to a playoff to come away with just his second victory on the PGA Tour.
Grillo went to the 18th hole leading the tournament by two strokes. The two golfers trailing behind him had only a few holes left with scoring conditions playing very tough. All Grillo had to do was not make worse than a bogey. Unfortunately, he would make a mess of the final hole.
He hit an errant tee shot way out to the right on the Par-4 18th, which caught a really rough break by finding a small water stream. This would result in nearly a five-minute break as the ball went down the stream.
Bizarre scenes on 18.
Leader Emiliano Grillo’s tee shot finds a water stream and takes five minutes to eventually come to a stop.
Grillo takes a penalty stroke and plays where the golf ball entered the stream @CSChallengeFW. pic.twitter.com/cc3XibhSwR
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 28, 2023
He had to take a penalty stroke and play off the cart path for his third shot, which he left short of the green. Grillo then pitched onto the green and two-putted, making a double-bogey.
A wet and wild finish for Emiliano Grillo on 18.
Double bogey to drop into a tie for the lead. pic.twitter.com/oygu04Wa26
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 28, 2023
Both Adam Schenk and Harry Hall had a chance to take control of the tournament. It would be Schenk who would par the final two holes to force a playoff.
The playoff would go to a second hole on the 16th after both made par on the first playoff hole. Grillo then hit his best shot of the day, narrowly avoiding the bunker on his second shot to put it within a couple of feet for birdie.
What a shot from @GrilloEmiliano!
It’s the second closest shot of the day on 16 @CSChallengeFW 🔥 pic.twitter.com/zD7MoIkycL
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 28, 2023
Schenk would find himself in trouble on the hole, which allowed Grillo to bury a birdie putt to bring home his first PGA Tour victory in over seven years.
7 years, 7 months and 10 days in between victories.@GrilloEmiliano is once again a PGA TOUR champion @CSChallengeFW 🏆 pic.twitter.com/ss9fPWZpf8
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 28, 2023
Many around the golf world praised him for his ability to overcome adversity to come away with the win.
Just after making double on 18, to lose a 2 shot lead, Emiliano Grillo invited a couple of kids to have a swing with his clubs. He’s now gone out and won the play-off for his first win in 8 years. Karma is a wonderful thing! 🤝
— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) May 28, 2023
Emiliano Grillo wins the Charles Schwab Challenge‼️
Anyone take him at +7000? 🤑 pic.twitter.com/BrDlY3ozij
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) May 28, 2023
2,780 days since his last win on TOUR
Won his first ever start as a PGA member
Emiliano Grillo wins The Charles Schwab Challenge🏆pic.twitter.com/aJk2oQX2Fy
— NUCLR GOLF STATS (@NUCLRGOLFSTATS) May 28, 2023
Emiliano Grillo is a PGA Tour Champion once again! 🔥
He hadn’t won in over seven years. pic.twitter.com/zDL5yAwDX1
— Sportsbook Review (@SBRReview) May 28, 2023
