Xander Schauffele defeats Tony Finau in WGC-HSBC Champions playoff

Xander Schauffele put together a spectacular final round at the WGC-HSBC Champions on Sunday, defeating Tony Finau in a one-hole playoff. His third career victory could be just the start of even bigger things to come in 2019.

Xander Schauffele did what it looked like nobody would be able to do all week. He derailed Tony Finau’s march to victory at the WGC-HSBC Champions. And in taking his third career PGA TOUR title, he showed that he’s ready for so much more in the year to come.

Schauffele, who just celebrated his 25th birthday on Thursday, put together the best round of the day on Sunday at Sheshan International Golf Club. A four-under round of 68 may not have been the round of the week – that mark had been beaten nine times through the week – but it nearly enough to earn Schauffele the win outright. In fact, only four players who finished inside the top 15 even broke par for the day.

Finau nearly left that number at three, as he struggled to get into the scoring rhythm that had earned him a three-stroke cushion to begin the final day. Back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 11 and 12 pushed Finau over par for his round with just six to play.

As he has done so many times before, though, he bounced back, with a clutch birdie on the par-5 18th keeping him in the playoff with Schauffele.

Before we get there, though, we have to address one of the most unlucky bounces a player has ever gotten. Schauffele and Finau were tied on 18, playing alongside Justin Rose in the final group. Schauffele’s approach was settled just off the green in two, with Rose to follow. If you haven’t seen the video, here it is.

Many onlookers believed that Schauffele may have just been dealt one of the worst breaks in golf history, but in this case, the Rules of Golf actually came to the rescue. Well, for Schauffele, at least. He was able to replace his ball, while Rose had to accept his watery fate.

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Schauffele and Finau had both displayed the kind of mettle that could have led to a long, drawn-out playoff battle, but it simply wasn’t meant to be that way on Sunday. Replaying the par-5 18th meant that each player would likely need birdie or better to move forward. Finau made par, Schauffele made birdie.

You can call it whatever you want: clutch, timing, ice in his veins. It’s all of that for Schauffele, and more, as it is for any PGA TOUR winner. But in completing yet another comeback victory, you almost have to wonder what will happen when Schauffele is the hunted, no longer the hunter.

"“I was definitely in sort of an attack mode, and I was hitting good shots all day, making good putts. I was doing everything that I needed to do,” he said. “It was a finish we needed, and it feels good to clutch up when necessary.”"

The more often that Schauffele “clutches up”, the less necessary I expect it to be. He finished inside the top ten in two majors and two FedEx Cup Playoff events this past season, and if he develops a bit more consistency, the results will hold up with Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, and the rest of the new generation of superstars on the PGA TOUR.

At this pace, look for that to come sooner rather than later. The best players in this game often master the mental side while their technique is still growing. Xander Schauffele is already well on his way in both areas.