Russell Henley picked up the trophy on Sunday at Colonial Country Club after besting Eric Cole in the first playoff hole with a birdie at the Charles Schwab Challenge.
The 37-year-old swooped in from behind, making three birdies in his last three holes during regulation time to match Cole’s leading score of 12-under.
Henley added his sixth trophy to the cabinet after last year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. His kids and wife, Teli Duncan, stood proud beside the 18th green.
During the post-game press conference, Henley revealed how great an impact Duncan had on his win.
“My wife is my best friend and just gives me so much confidence,” he said. “This morning, I called her when I was at the course and I just asked her if she would pray for me and pray for the ability to fight. She just supports me so well.”
Henley was 9-under before the final round and Cole was 12-under. He made two birdies just after tee off and sat at 14-under. It looked as if he was definitely going to take home his first PGA Tour trophy. But things went downhill.
Cole made a bogey and another double bogey to completely give away his advantage, whereas Henley just kept grinding. Duncan’s prayers were answered.
GettyRussell Henley celebrates with wife Teil after winning.
“Sometimes I stress about like, ‘I hope my family’s having a good week’ when I’m at the course for seven or eight hours,” Henley expressed. “They’re having to find stuff to do in all these towns.”
“She’s just always telling me, ‘It’s great. We’re going to be together’. And she gives me the freedom to go play well or play poorly. So just so special to have them with me. I love ’em so much.”
Russell Henley Announces Career News
This win has instilled in him great confidence. Next month, Henley will be skipping the RBC Canadian Open, that preceeds the third major of the season.
“I’ll play Memorial next week. And then I’ll play the U.S. Open. And then I’ll play the Travelers. And then I’ll play Rocket,” he said to the press.
This win improved Henley’s FedEx ranking to 11, up from 26.
“I feel like mentally I’ve kind of let my frustrations get the best of me this year,” he admitted. “So I felt like this week I wanted to start being better and fighting all the way through the finish line. It’s amazing to be 11th on the FedExCup.”
Russell Henley Reveals His Feelings About the Scrambler
GettyRussell Henley poses with the winner’s 1982 Schwab Scrambler.
Henley won the classic 1982 Schwab Scrambler in a custom blue colorway at Colonial, along with a tartan jacket and a $1.7 million check.
“I hadn’t heard of a Scrambler before this. Clearly, it was just custom-made and just so well done,” Henley said. It’s beautiful inside and outside. So I’m excited to drive it. The engine was much louder than I anticipated.”
Henley shares three kids with Duncan, a contemporary artist from Columbus, Georgia. The couple met in 2013 at her sister’s wedding, got engaged the following year and married in 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina.
They welcomed their first child, son Robert Russell, on April 3, 2018. Their daughter Ruth Teil followed on June 14, 2019 and their youngest, Jane Edith, was born on June 4, 2022.
“My family thinks it’s really cool. My kids just probably want to hang out in the back or stand up,” Henley expressed. “Going to have to try to get the seat belts on them.”
Russell Henley Makes Personal Revelation on Wife Teli Duncan After Charles Schwab Win