Emiliano Grillo survives late collapse to win Charles Schwab Challenge and $1.5m prize

Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo survived a memorable double bogey on his 72nd hole and beat Adam Schenk on the second playoff hole to win the Charles Schwab Challenge on Sunday in Fort Worth, Texas.

Grillo earned his second career PGA Tour victory – seven years and seven months after his first, in October 2015.

“They say the second is harder than the first, and it definitely was,” Grillo said on the CBS show. “I’m on top of the world right now.”

After Grillo and Schenk replayed the par-4 18th hole and each made the par, they headed to the par-3 16th at Colonial Country Club. Grillo’s tee shot rolled inside 5 feet and Schenk flew his ball over the green.

Schenk made Grillo work when he played his second shot 2 1/2 feet from the pin. But Grillo’s left-to-right birdie putt was never in doubt.

Grillo endured a tough 18th hole but rallied to win on the second playoff hole in Texas

Grillo shot a 68 in the final round and Schenk had a 72 for them both to find themselves both at 8 under 272, although Grillo had a two-stroke lead when he hit his tee shot at No. 18.

The shot flew to the far right and ended up in a jet of water in the center of a trail. According to the CBS broadcast, the water carried the ball about 100 yards toward the tee box before a small rock pinned it down. Grillo took a penalty stroke and dropped his ball on the path where the ball entered the stream.

He reached the green in four and two putts.

“Today I got a brace on 18 and honestly I didn’t care,” Grillo said of his take. “Obviously I would have liked to get it on the 72nd, but to finish with great swings, great swings there on the 18th, two great birdies on the 16th.”

Grillo had a busy front nine, making four birdies and two bogeys as he started to claw towards the top. He added birdies at numbers 12 and 16 – the latter on a nearly 20-foot putt – to hit 10 under before his adventurous double bogey.

Schenk, who went 66-67-67 to start the tournament, had three bogeys on his first 13 holes and notched his only birdie of the day at the par-3 16th. His shot there landed short and to the right but bounced off the green, caught an incline and rolled 8 feet, where he made the birdie putt that ultimately propelled him into the playoffs.

There was a bizarre moment on the 18th hole when Grillo’s ball floated down a drain

He was ultimately forced to play from cart path and suffered a double bogey to trigger a playoff

England’s Harry Hall, who held at least a share of the lead after each of the first three rounds, birdied his first two holes of the day before carding five bogeys for a final round 73. He was level with Schenk and Grillo at 8 while walking to the 18th tee, but his drive sailed left and into a water hazard.

The 25-year-old PGA Tour rookie bogeyed and settled for a tie for third at 7 under with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, whose 67 featured the second hole-in-one of his career on the PGA Tour. On the par-3 eighth hole, he aimed for the pin and watched his ball make a few jumps and roll straight.

“Just a three-quarter 7-iron,” Scheffler said. “Pretty much the exact same shot I hit there (Saturday). The tee box was a bit higher, and there was a bit more wind in our face, so it settled in nicely. … It was really, really fun.

Paul Haley II (last round 67) placed fifth at 6 under. Rickie Fowler also shot a 67 and finished sixth at 5 under with Michael Kim (67) and defending champion Sam Burns (68). Max Homa (69), Mark Hubbard (69) and Kevin Streelman (71) are tied for ninth at 4 under.