Russell Henley claimed his sixth PGA Tour title in a playoff
Russell Henley won the Charles Schwab Challenge to claim his sixth PGA Tour title in dramatic circumstances at Colonial Country Club.
The American birdied his last three holes in regulation to force a playoff with long-time leader Eric Cole, before another birdie on the first extra hole handed him the title.
Cole began the day with a one-shot lead on 12 under, with Henley three back and several others in contention, including defending champion Ben Griffin.
The opening holes of Cole's round didn't really hint at the drama to come, with the American, who was looking for his maiden PGA Tour win, extending his lead to two as he headed to the ninth.
However, his challenge threatened to unravel when he found the water, an error that led to a double-bogey and allowed Michael Brennan to draw level at 11 under.
To Cole's credit, he didn't let it consume him and followed up with a par at the 10th to settle any nerves. It soon got better for Cole when his outright lead was restored when Brennan bogeyed the 11th.
Eric Cole led for a long period before Russell Henley's late charge
Brennan wasn't done there, though, and briefly drew level again with a birdie at the 12th before Cole swiftly reestablished his one-shot advantage at the 11th.
Soon, another name was in the mix, Griffin, who birdied the 17th to move one back of Cole on 11 under before heading back to the clubhouse as an interested observer to see if Cole would falter to allow him back in.
Following a frenetic spell, events settled down, with the likes of JJ Spaun, Mac Meissner, Alex Smalley, Gary Woodland and Brennan all still in contention as they headed down the stretch.
Until that point, Henley hadn't really forced his way into serious contention, but that began to change when a birdie at the 16th took him within two.
That became one when he made a long birdie putt at the 17th, although Cole soon had a chance to gain a two-shot cushion at the same hole, only for his 10-footer to stay out.
With Cole on the fairway at the 18th, Henley made it three consecutive birdies to draw level, and the pressure was on Cole to make his first birdie since the 11th.
His approach at the par-4 landed on the green before spinning onto the fringe, and when he couldn't convert from there, he finished with a par and into a playoff.
Even then, it looked like it could still be Cole's day when his tee shot at 18 took an almighty kick off the left rough and bounced onto the fairway, which Henley had found moments earlier.
However, it was Henley who seized the initiative with his approach, getting within five feet of the pin before Cole stopped 13 feet away.
After Cole failed to convert his birdie attempt, he completed his par to hand Henley his chance.
Given what Henley had achieved in the previous three holes, there was an air of inevitability about the outcome.
So it proved, as he rolled in his birdie putt to claim his first title since he mounted a similar late charge to beat Collin Morikawa at the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Conquering Colonial 🏆Russell Henley is perfect in the playoff @CSChallengeFW. pic.twitter.com/CTLq0KreU6May 31, 2026
That left 2023 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Cole contemplating another appearance without a title and his second defeat in a playoff after suffering a similar fate at the hands of Chris Kirk at the 2023 Honda Classic.
Following the win, Henley admitted there had been a battle, but that it was immensely satisfying.
He said: "I think the longer you play this game, the more you want more, you want more success and I feel like I've just worked harder and harder and I feel like I've been a little off just mentally this year, really.
"Just feel like I just fought really hard through the end, so it just felt really good to see an awesome result."
Charles Schwab Challenge Leaderboard
- 1st -12 Russell Henley (won playoff)
- 2nd -12 Eric Cole
- T3 -11 Ben Griffin
- T3 -11 Mac Meissner
- T3 -11 Gary Woodland
- T3 -10 Michael Brennan
- T3 -10 Nico Echavarria
- T3 -10 JJ Spaun
- T10 -9 Steven Fisk
- T10 -9 Mackenie Hughes
- T10 -9 Ryan Gerard
Updates from...
RUSSELL HENLEY WINS CHARLES SCHWAB CHALLENGE!
Cole lines up his putt. You sense he needs to make this with his opponent so much closer. It's got to be 15 feet away. It turns, but not enough! He makes par.
Now Henley to win it. He has five feet to go. In it goes and Russell Henley is the Charles Schwab Challenge champion!
ADVANTAGE HENLEY
Russell Henley piles the pressure on Eric Cole, sending his approach to within five feet of the pin!
Now Cole. It's not as close, but still within birdie range.
BACK AT THE 18TH
Henley and Cole are at the par-4 18th tee box for the first extra hole. Henley is up first and finds the fairway.
Cole, who must have thought he had it in his grasp before Henley's late charge, isn't as accurate. It goes left but gets a kick out of the rough and finds the fairway! Could it be his day?
WE HAVE A PLAYOFF
Eric Cole now needs a birdie to win it in regulation at 18, something he hasn't managed since the 11th. His approach looks good but it spins off the green. It's still makeable, but it looks more likely we'll head to a playoff.
His third is nice but doesn't quite have the direction and we're heading to a playoff.
HENLEY MOVES INTO CO-LEAD!
What a contrast to a week ago, when we had a birdie-fest at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Here, birdies have proved far harder to come by, but Russell Henley gives himself the chance of one at 18. If he makes it, he'll head to the clubhouse tied for the lead.
He gets there - his third consecutive birdie, and suddenly we have a tie at the top!
LEADER HEADING TO 18
Eric Cole has the opportunity to extend his lead to two at 17. It's a 10-foot putt for birdie, but it slides wide and he will head to the 18th leading by one.
HENLEY IN THE MIX
Russell Henley isn't out of this yet. He birdies the 17th with a long putt to move into second. He also has Ben Griffin and Mac Meissner for company on 11 under. If leader Eric Cole wasn't feeling the pressure before, he probably is now.
AS THINGS STAND
A litte recap of where we are. Eric Cole is heading to the 17th leading by one on 12 under. Ben Griffin is one back in the clubhouse, while still on the course on the same score is Mac Meissner, thanks to a birdie at 16. JJ Spaun, Russell Henley and Alex Smalley are on 10 under. So are Michael Brennan and Gary Woodland, but their challenges are complete.
BRILLIANT FROM LEADER
Eric Cole is on the 16th green weighing up how to save par from almost 50 feet. And he shows us! With a huge break, the ball gets within five feet of the cup, which he holes.
Soon after, Michael Brennan finishes with a birdie to move to 10 under.
ANOTHER WOBBLE FROM THE LEADER
A huge hook from Eric Cole at the par-3 16th leaves him with a tricky two-putt to save par from the left side of the green. This could be a big moment for the leader.
PAR SAVE FOR SPAUN
A blow for JJ Spaun at the 16th, who doesn't just miss his birdie putt, he sends it a good four feet beyond. Can he make it coming back? Yes. He remains on 10 under, two back of Cole.
LEADER MAKES PAR AT 15
After his bunker troubles at the 15th, Eric Cole does well to get within range with his third. That leaves a nice par chance, which he takes to head to the 16th with his lead intact. Gutsy.
WELL PLAYED, GARY
Following his PTSD diagnosis, it's heartwarming to see Gary Woodland's excellent recent form continue. He finishes with a 67 to head to the clubhouse just two back of leader Eric Cole. It won't be enough to win it, but it's really encouraging for the 2019 US Open champion.
BUNKER-TO-BUNKER FOR ERIC COLE
Cole's shot out of the fairway bunker takes a direct line to a greenside bunker, and that will do little for his nerves as he tries to close out victory.
COLE'S STRUGGLES
Eric Cole hasn't looked all that comfortable for a while now, with some erratic shots, while his body language and tendency to chastise himself suggest he knows he needs to settle things down over the closing holes.
Can he do that at the 15th? Not if his tee shot is anything to go by, which finds a fairway bunker.
PAR FOR COLE AT THE 14TH
After a crazy few minutes around the turn, things have definitely settled down. There's still plenty to play for, with Cole leading by one and at least five others in serious contention, but right now there's little movement at the top of the leaderboard.
Cole's second at 14 reaches the green, leaving a long birdie chance. It's a good try, but goes past and that'll be a par.
NOT QUITE FOR BRENNAN
At the 14th, JJ Spaun stays in touch with a par, while two holes on, Michael Brennan's birdie putt drifts right. Eric Cole retains his one-shot lead.
LIP-OUT FOR BEN GRIFFIN AT 18
So close for Ben Griffin, who very, very nearly birdies to the last to join leader Eric Cole, but it lips out to leave him stranded on 11 under. He'll be an interested observer with things so tight and Cole wobbling at times, but that could be enough to end his chances of successfully defending his title.
This close to tying the lead 😲Ben Griffin sits at T2 after a near miss from 50 feet. https://t.co/36w1a9BfTo pic.twitter.com/1SpQAw6hB7May 31, 2026
SETBACK FOR SPAUN
JJ Spaun is having quite the afternoon. The Valero Texas Open champion has four birdies so far, but he now has four bogeys, the latest at the 13th to drop him back to T4 at 10 under.
BEN GRIFFIN STILL IN IT!
Defending champion Ben Griffin picks an excellent time for his first birdie since the ninth, getting another at the 17th to move to 11 under, one back of the leader.
INCONSISTENT FROM LEADER
Despite leading, Eric Cole is in the midst of an erratic spell here. His tee shot at 12 arrows straight into a bunker to give him something to think about.
NIP AND TUCK AT THE TOP
Michael Brennan briefly ties the lead with Eric Cole with a birdie at the 12th, but that doesn't last long. Moments later, Cole responds with a long birdie putt at the 11th to restore his one-shot lead.
TROUBLE FOR GERARD
Ryan Gerard, one back of Cole, finds problems with his second at the par-5 11th. It disappears into some trees and down a ravine and the upshot is, his next shot will be his fourth.
He goes onto make a bogey.
ERIC COLE REGAINS SOLO LEAD
Maybe Eric Cole's nerves will be settled further by a bogey from co-leader Michael Brennan at 12.
That ensures Cole leads by one again. Moments later, JJ Spaun eyes a chance to join him at the 11th, but his birdie putt just stays out.
NOT EVEN CLOSE
The error that led to Cole's double-bogey at 9 didn't just miss its intended target, it didn't get close, as you can see here.
Winning is hard.A costly double bogey takes away Eric Cole’s two-shot lead @CSChallengeFW. pic.twitter.com/IJyilUCaLGMay 31, 2026
QUITE THE STAT...
An incredible stat about PGA Tour Rookies of the Year and their wins. When this was posted, Cole led by one, but now that's been extinguished.
Since being first awarded in 1990, there have been 36 winners of the PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year (Arnold Palmer Award), combining for 277 wins. Eric Cole (2023) is the only player on that list yet to win on TOUR. He currently leads the Charles Schwab Challenge by one stroke.May 31, 2026
ALL CHANGE AT THE TOP
For much of his round, Eric Cole had looked assured, with the chance to claim his maiden PGA Tour title seemingly leaving him unaffected.
That's all changed with a horrendous moment for him at the ninth. He led by two at that point, but a double-bogey after finding the water means he's now level with Michael Brennan.
JJ Spaun also briefly shared the lead, but he bogeyed the 10th to add to a frenetic few minutes at Colonial.
The good news for Cole is that he makes a nice enough par at 10, and maybe that will settle him down.
WELCOME!
Welcome to our coverage of the final round of the Charles Schwab Challenge, where Eric Cole has recently double-bogeyed to let in Michael Brennan.
With plenty of other contenders in the mix, follow along to see who gets their hands on the trophy.