Griffin, who started the day tied with Schmid, quickly established a commanding five-shot lead just five holes into the final round. However, the 27-year-old German refused to yield, ensuring a captivating battle down the stretch. Despite a challenging 1-over 71 in swirling winds gusting up to 30 mph, Griffin ultimately held on, finishing one stroke clear of Schmid, who carded a 72.
The drama reached its crescendo on the 72nd hole. Schmid, facing a difficult chip from deep rough behind the green, miraculously holed out for a birdie, forcing Griffin to make a crucial 4-foot par putt to clinch the title. Griffin, remarkably composed, executed the delicate chip from the rough while standing in a bunker, then calmly sank the short putt. "First of all, it was like whack-a-mole hitting that third shot," Griffin reflected. "In my head, I was thinking Matti might probably make that. Fortunately, I had that 4-footer. I felt pretty good over it. Just left edge and trust it.”
The two co-leaders had mirrored each other's scores through the first three rounds. Schmid had surged ahead early in the third round, taking a three-shot lead, only for Griffin to retaliate strongly in the final round. While Griffin's lead grew to five strokes, Schmid steadily chipped away, narrowing the gap to just one shot after a two-shot swing at the 16th, before Griffin restored a two-shot cushion heading into the final hole.
World No. 1 and local favorite Scottie Scheffler, fresh off his PGA Championship victory, was unable to replicate his Saturday surge. Starting the day six shots back, Scheffler could only manage a 69 with two birdies and a bogey, finishing 8 under. He fell short of becoming the first player to win three consecutive starts since Dustin Johnson eight years ago and missed out on a fourth consecutive top-three finish at Colonial, tying for fourth, one shot behind Bud Cauley, who posted a 67.
"Overall it was a really challenging day," Scheffler commented. "I think Friday probably hurt me in terms of winning this tournament, but overall three of the four days I played what I felt was pretty solid.”
Rickie Fowler, who entered the tournament ranked 127th, struggled to find momentum and his hopes faded with a disastrous 7 on the par-5 11th, ultimately carding a 74.
Griffin's victory marks a significant milestone in his career. The 29-year-old had previously tasted success last month at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans, where he teamed up with Andrew Novak for a team event win. Reflecting on his solo triumph, Griffin acknowledged the unpredictable nature of golf. "No lead is ever safe on the PGA Tour," Griffin stated. "It can feel like a tournament’s done. Maybe if it’s Scottie Scheffler with a five-shot lead, it’s done. I was trying to keep the pedal down. I kept hitting a lot of drivers, kept trying to give myself birdie putts. I just didn’t give myself a lot of birdie putts.”
Indeed, Griffin's final round was a testament to his grit, as he hit just four of 14 fairways and seven of 18 greens. Yet, he made crucial par saves on the back nine, including back-to-back testy putts, one on the par-4 14th that extended his lead to three when Schmid missed a shorter par attempt. The momentum swung again at the par-3 16th, where Schmid's tee shot landed inside three feet, allowing him to cut the lead to one after Griffin missed a par putt. However, Griffin responded on the very next hole, saving par from behind a tree, while Schmid's curious decision to aim away from the hole with a plugged bunker shot resulted in a bogey.
“The only two places were right of the green or long left, and I think then I would have had to chip up and over,” Schmid explained of his decision at 17. “I think the up-and-down was a little more straightforward. At that point I just tried to make a five, and thankfully I did it.” His audacious chip-in on the 18th nearly forced a playoff, showcasing his fighting spirit until the very end.
In other notable moments, Tommy Fleetwood, who had a strong front nine with a 31 to get into contention, lost momentum with a bogey at 11. On the 18th, his birdie putt agonizingly stopped on the lip of the cup. After a suspenseful wait of nearly 30 seconds, the swirling wind obliged, nudging the ball into the hole. Fleetwood's 68 earned him a tie for fourth with Scheffler, marking his 41st top-10 finish on the PGA Tour – the most by any player without a victory since 1983.