FORT WORTH: This was just the type of tournament result Davis Riley needed, coming at an ideal time on the PGA Tour.
“I’m trying to get the season going a little bit,” Riley said. “To get a win kind of catapults me.” Riley shot an even-par 70 to secure his first individual title on the PGA Tour, winning the Charles Schwab Challenge by five strokes Sunday at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
Riley’s tournament total of 14-under 266 earned him the $1.638 million top prize. This came while playing the final round in a pairing with world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler. “I’m starting to get to some of the better golf I played, certainly pro golf,” said Riley, who has made 90 starts on the tour. “I’m proud of the way I stayed in it and I just kind of hung in there and played some really good golf coming down the stretch.”
Keegan Bradley turned in a final-round 67 to tie with Scheffler (71) for second place at 9 under. Scheffler was four strokes back when the day began. Collin Morikawa (68) placed fourth at 8 under. No serious challengers emerged in the final round as Riley responded to each of his four bogeys with a par. He played the frontside at even-par 35, yet increased his lead to six shots.
“I just wasn’t able to put as much pressure as I would have hoped to put on Davis early in the round and he just kind of cruised all day,” Scheffler said. Despite Riley’s breakthrough, there also was a somber tone at the tournament just one day after PGA Tour golfer Grayson Murray, who was entered in the event and played parts of two rounds, died from suicide. His parents released a statement revealing the cause of death, expressing their devastation, and thanking golfers, the PGA Tour and others for the support. “Obviously it was pretty difficult to come play golf,” Scheffler said. “But like his parents said, he would have wanted the tournament to continue.”