Scottie Scheffler Eyes Dramatic Comeback as Ben Griffin Leads Into Final Round of Charles Schwab Challenge
Heading into the final round of the Charles Schwab Challenge, all eyes are on Ben Griffin—who shares the top spot at 13 under par with Matthias Schmid—and world no. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who sits six strokes back at T7. Despite the gap, Scheffler remains firmly in the hunt, especially after a blistering Saturday round where he carded a 64 to rocket up the leaderboard.
As Padraig Harrington pointed out during the Senior PGA Championship, you want to be inside the top 10 by Day 2 to have a real shot at winning. Scheffler has done just that. Now comes the hard part: closing the gap against two steady frontrunners, all while under pressure in his home state.
Veteran broadcaster Doug Bell believes Griffin is in prime position to secure his first solo PGA Tour title. Speaking on Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio, Bell emphasized, “I think Ben Griffin is the favorite going into tomorrow… If Ben goes even par, Scottie has to shoot 6-under just to tie.” While not impossible, Bell questions whether Scheffler can deliver back-to-back low rounds.
Griffin has momentum on his side. He recently clinched the Zurich Classic team event with Andrew Novak and recorded a career-best T8 finish at the PGA Championship. A steady, mistake-free final round could be enough for Griffin to seal the win, especially if the chasing pack—including Scheffler—can’t put together a run.
Scheffler, however, isn’t one to fold under pressure. On Day 3, he sank seven birdies and an eagle before a closing bogey slightly stalled his surge. Still, he’s optimistic. “I’m going to try to get the two shots back as quickly as possible, and then we’ll go from there,” he said. “Right now things are out of my control… but there’s always an outside chance.”
History offers perspective—last year at this very event, Davis Riley fended off a charging Scheffler to win with an even-par final round. If Griffin can stay composed, the blueprint is there. But if conditions get tough and nerves creep in, Scheffler could find the window he needs to mount one of the season’s most thrilling comebacks.
Whether the favorite holds strong or the world no. 1 makes a late charge, the final round at Colonial promises drama, pressure, and perhaps a defining moment in the 2025 PGA season.