Charles Schwab Challenge 2022 leaderboard: Burns Force playoff with Schaeffler, sparrows to win Round 4

Another week, another seven-stroke deficit was erased as Sam Burns came out of nowhere to claim victory in the 2022 Charles Schwab Challenge. The Louisiana native fired a final 5-under-65 inning on a day the Colonial’s scoring average was close to 3 points, jumping himself to the leaderboard and to a playoff with his soulmate, world number 1 Scotty Scheffler.

Punctuated by a dramatic jumper on the first playoff hole, Burns grabbed not only his tartan jacket and Firebird ’79, but more importantly, his third win of the season. For most of the day — heck, for most of the championship — Schaeffler was almost assumed to be going for his fifth win in the past four months.

Unfortunately, the World No. 1 was unable to gain any momentum and eventually fell for 2-on-72. Scheffler was unlikable at times – he lost his ways, misjudged the wind and generally seemed uncomfortable on the greens – but he still resisted urge to surrender. In the end, his poor play coupled with challenging conditions proved too much, as Burns pulled the rug out from right under him.

Burns’ victory in the Charles Schwab Challenge marks his fourth win in his last 28 games. Safely within the top ten in the official world golf rankings, it’s time we stop treating Burns as a rising star, and instead a star who is here to stay.