The 2024 USDGA Championship concluded with thrilling performances at PGA Golf Club, showcasing intense competition and dramatic moments right down to the final putts.
Chad Pfeifer and Ryanne Jackson emerged victorious in their respective divisions, while Ken Green clinched the Senior title in a playoff.
Pfeifer Takes Men’s Title
Chad Pfeifer, who hails from Idaho, defended his title in a nail-biting finish. Despite leading the 54-hole tournament for only the final two holes, Pfeifer’s clutch birdie on the par-5 17th and par on the 18th secured him a one-shot win.
His final round of 1-under 70 brought him to a total of 4-over 217, edging out Albert Bowker by a single stroke.
Reflecting on his decisive birdie at the 17th, Pfeifer said, “I knew the birdie at 17 was huge, but I didn’t know how important it was until I looked at the leaderboard on the 18th tee.”
After a solid drive at the 17th, he reached the green in two shots and two-putted from 40 feet for birdie.
Despite an errant drive on the 18th, Pfeifer recovered with a 7-iron to the edge of the green, setting up his winning putt.
“That last putt was a little longer than I wanted, and it broke left-to-right, so it wasn’t an easy one,” he said. “But I was able to make it.”
Jackson’s Comeback Win
Ryanne Jackson, playing in the Women’s Division, secured her first USDGA title with a strong final round of 2-over 73, one shot ahead of defending champion Bailey Bish.
Jackson’s victory came after rebounding from a double bogey on the par-3 12th with a birdie on the 13th.
Bish’s bogey on the par-3 16th gave Jackson the edge, leading to her win. Reflecting on her win, Jackson said, “It all came down to putting. Bailey missed a couple putts she usually makes.”
Green’s Playoff Victory
In the Senior Division, Ken Green and Eli Villanueva battled into a playoff after Green made a triple bogey on the final hole.
The playoff was tense, with Villanueva making a 50-foot par putt on the first playoff hole to stay alive, but Green ultimately won with a par on the second playoff hole.
Green, a five-time PGA Tour winner, was pleased with his performance, saying, “A win is a win. It still feels good.”
Despite his struggles on the final hole, Green’s resolve carried him through the playoff, and he admitted, “I wasn’t thinking about the triple during the playoff; I wanted revenge on that hole.”
