7 things we loved about the PGA Tour's 1st week back

The PGA Tour made its long-awaited return this week, and the Charles Schwab Challenge delivered in every way possible. From start to finish, the event at Colonial Country Club provided highs and lows that reminded fans what they missed most about golf.

Here are seven things we loved about the PGA Tour's first week back.

Drama

With every euphoric feeling that comes with victory, a handful of players feel the opposite after a regrettable defeat. On Sunday, the cup on the 17th hole provided two shocking moments that neither the players nor fans will soon forget.

First up was Xander Schauffele. After making a 30-footer for bogey on 15, followed by a remarkable birdie on 16 to regain a share of the lead, the 26-year-old faced a short par putt to remain a co-leader. But Schauffele suffered one of the worst lip-outs you will ever see to drop a shot that he failed to make up on the final hole.

Then, it was Collin Morikawa's turn in the playoff. Morikawa cozied a delicate chip to 3 feet on 17 - the first extra hole - but could not convert the attempt for par as his ball also lipped out to hand Daniel Berger the title.

It wasn't only lip-outs that provided drama Sunday. Bryson DeChambeau made a run and held the solo lead at 15-under before a sloppy bogey on 17 dropped him out of the top spot. Jason Kokrak and Justin Rose missed birdie putts on 18 that could have secured a spot in the playoff.

The Charles Schwab Challenge was one of the most captivating events of the year, regardless of the fact that it marked the end of the PGA Tour's three-month break.

No fans, no matter

Despite it being one of the more entertaining tournaments this year, you could barely notice there were no fans in attendance. The players may have felt different on the course without the cheers for good shots and groans for poor ones, but the week at Colonial proved fans arent necessarily required at PGA Tour stops, which is a good sign for the next four events on the calendar.

What rust?

The world's best players showed little signs of rust. Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, and a few others notwithstanding, many of the field's top-ranked players found themselves in contention on the weekend. Schauffele, DeChambeau, Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, and Jordan Spieth all had a chance to win the tournament, which bodes well for upcoming events that feature similar fields.

Bulked-up Bryson

DeChambeau dominated the headlines all week as he unveiled his new physique at Colonial. He now tips the scales at 240 pounds after adding roughly 25 during the break. He no longer fits the stereotypical body shape of a world-class golfer, but he now possesses a powerful game that is unrivaled on the PGA Tour.

He led the field in strokes gained: off-the-tee by averaging 340 yards with his driver. He hit eight drives over 350 yards and accounted for 10 of the field's 49 longest drives. DeChambeau also led in strokes gained: tee-to-green, showing he hasn't lost any touch with his iron play. Start getting used to seeing DeChambeau's name near the top of the leaderboard.

Berger's comeback

Berger won for the first time in three years after a lingering wrist injury produced a lengthy dip in form. The 2017 Presidents Cup team member rose through the ranks with the likes of Thomas and Spieth and seemed destined at one time to be among golf's elites.

His fortunes have clearly turned, and he's back on his earlier trajectory. With three straight top-10s heading into the PGA Tour's impromptu offseason, Berger didn't skip a beat with his incredible week at Colonial.

Curiously, Berger's three career wins all came during the second week of June.

Spieth's roller-coaster week

The term "roller coaster" gets thrown around a lot when describing up-and-down performances, but Spieth's week at Colonial was definitely a wild ride.

Spieth came out of the gates hot with back-to-back 65s. But even during his best rounds, there were some low points, including a four-putt double-bogey Friday after he built a two-shot lead with three consecutive birdies. A glimmer of hope remained Sunday after two straight birdies brought him to 13-under. But his following tee shot on No. 14 went out of bounds to ultimately seal his fate.

Still, Spieth's week at Colonial provides hope that the three-time major winner can get back to playing at a high level; the sport would greatly benefit from it.

No positive tests

The major concern surrounding the PGA Tour's return was how it would navigate a tournament during the coronavirus pandemic. After the first round of testing, all 487 tests conducted on players, caddies, and essential staff came back negative. As of Sunday evening, there were still no reports of positive tests after players and caddies who planned on taking the Tour's chartered flight to next week's event were tested Saturday.

Fingers will remain crossed until COVID-19 is in the rearview. But for now, Colonial proved that playing tournaments safely and following social-distancing guidelines is certainly doable.