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CHARLOTTE — Jon Rahm started the final round of the PGA Championship five strokes behind Scottie Scheffler and finished it seven shots adrift of the champion on Sunday at Quail Hollow Club.

But the leaderboard hardly tells the full story, because it was Rahm who threatened to steal an unlikely victory when he made three birdies in a four-hole stretch around the turn to temporarily tie Scheffler for the lead.

And though the Spaniard had a horrendous stretch along the Green Mile — dropping five shots in the tough closing three holes, including a tee shot into the water at the 17th — he at least gave the final round a much-needed shot of excitement.

“It was really close. God, it’s been a while since I had that much fun on a golf course,” the LIV player said after shooting 2-over 73 to tie for eighth at 4-under par.

As much as Rahm enjoyed contending in another major, he was bitterly disappointed with the way he finished, calling it a tough pill to swallow.

“Pretty fresh wound right now,” Rahm said. “But there’s been a lot of good happening this week and a lot of positive feelings to take for the rest of the year.”

Like Scheffler, Rahm entered the week seeking his third career major title, having won the 2021 U.S. Open and the 2023 Masters.

“I think it’s the first time I’ve been in position to win a major that close and haven’t done it,” he said. “The only times I think I’ve been in the lead in a major on a Sunday, I’ve been able to close it out, and this is a very different situation.”

Rahm said he felt the Wanamaker Trophy slipping from his grasp when he failed to birdie either of the relatively easy 14th or 15th holes.

“I think it was a bit of nerves,” he said.

–Andrew Both, Field Level Media