Ollie Schniederjans was once on top of the golf world with his whole career before him.
On Sunday, the former top-ranked amateur returned to the winner’s circle for the first time in nine years by running away from Bryson DeChambeau, Joaquin Niemann, Abraham Ancer, and others to win the international Series India event at DLF Golf and Country Club in New Delhi, India.
Schniederjans was the no. 1-ranked amateur in the world for 41 weeks back in 2014-15 while starring at Georgia Tech. He won on the Korn Ferry Tour the year he turned pro and was a rising star.
But sometimes rising stars fall, and Schniederjans’ body started to betray him. As the injuries piled up, Schniederjans’ game faltered, and he lost his card during the 2018-19 season.
The injuries all stemmed from a troublesome hip, and Schniederjans eventually elected to undergo double hip replacement surgery in 2022.
Schniederjans finally returned to the course in March of 2023, playing in a handful of Korn Ferry Tour events. But with no status on any circuit, the former top-ranked amateur tried his hand at LIV Golf’s Promotions event. A tie for fourth place earned him exemptions into the Asian Tour’s International Series and a reserve spot on LIV.
The 31-year-old made the most of his opportunity in New Delhi, finishing at 10-under par, four shots clear of the two-time U.S. Open champion. DeChambeau
“It means a lot to me,” Schniederjans said on Sunday after the win. “This golf course is very challenging, and back in the day, I would have had a hard time out here, so to come out and shoot those scores now, with everything I have been through, my game is a lot better than it ever was. This was proof this week.
“It was a long process, it took a lot of patience,” Schniederjans said. “I did a lot to change my body and swing, and had to learn a lot through that process.”
DeChambeau put some heat on Schniederjans to start the final round, but the Schniederjans increased his lead to five with nine holes to play and got it to six with a chip-in birdie from some gnarly rough.
We have all been in that position but we have not gotten results like this.😱
— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) February 2, 2025
Ollie Schniederjans earned it with this brilliant up and down for birdie on 13. 🙌https://t.co/QQChqRrghk @intseriesgolf #InternationalSeries #ThisISEverything #TimeToRise #DLFlifestyle #DLFhomes pic.twitter.com/lxcP4ps5cv
Schniederjans was one of just four players to finish under par, and his ability to hit the gas on DeChambeau left the two-time major champion flummoxed at how the final round unfolded.
“I have been hitting it so well,” DeChambeau said. “I played a Break 50 [on his YouTube channel] and was hitting it so well. I don’t know what happened.”
While DeChambeau was a bit miffed by his own play, he lauded Schniederjans for the win and the resilience it takes to complete such a long journey back.
“Ollie is a great, incredible golfer, he beat my butt in college numerous times,” DeChambeau said. “So it was really, really impressive to see how well he’s playing, and I wish I could have given him a run for my money, but I was not prepared. Not as prepared as I could have been, and unfortunately, I didn’t give him a run. But he’s a well-deserved champion, and he deserves every, every bit of the accolades that comes with it.”
It was a long journey back for Ollie Schniederjans. Hoisting any trophy would have been meaningful, given his trials and tribulations. But beating DeChambeau should hold some extra meaning for Schniederjans and give him some belief that he can keep climbing and contend with the best in the world.
