ESPN Golf: Henley Storms Back with Four Straight Birdies to Claim Charles Schwab Challenge in Playoff

Russell Henley delivered one of the most dramatic finishes of the 2026 PGA Tour season at the Charles Schwab Challenge, erasing a three-shot deficit with four consecutive birdies over the final holes at Colonial Country Club — then sealed the deal with a 5-foot birdie putt on the 18th in the first playoff hole against Eric Cole.

The Comeback

Henley's round was anything but smooth. After opening with eagle-birdie, he stumbled through the aptly named Horrible Horseshoe (holes 3-5) with three straight bogeys, adding another at No. 9 to make the turn at 8-under. The turnaround came quietly: a par save at 15, then 15-foot birdies at 16 and 17, capped by a 17-footer at 18 to reach 12-under and force overtime. His closing 3-under 67 earned him a $1.78 million payday and his sixth PGA Tour title.

Cole's Near Miss

Eric Cole, who torched Colonial with a 63 on Saturday for a two-shot lead, played steady but not spectacular golf on Sunday. He absorbed a double bogey at the par-4 ninth — his first in 316 holes — without losing the outright lead, but couldn't manufacture the birdie he needed down the stretch. In the playoff, his approach to 13 feet wasn't enough; the putt stayed out.

Griffin's Run Falls Short

Ben Griffin (65) made a spirited charge with five front-nine birdies and briefly closed to within a shot of Cole, but key putts at 16 and 18 refused to drop, leaving him at 11-under alongside Alex Smalley and Mac Meissner.

Strokeslab Perspective

Henley's victory is a case study in late-round resilience — the ability to halt a bleeding round and ignite a birdie run through a demanding stretch of holes. His SG: Putting performance over the closing holes will be worth examining when the data releases.