Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Xander the Great! Schauffele Wins the British Open for His 2nd Major This Year
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 months ago on
July 21, 2024

Xander Schauffele of the United States kisses the Claret Jug trophy after winning the British Open Golf Championships at Royal Troon golf club in Troon, Scotland, Sunday, July 21, 2024. (AP/Peter Morrison)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

TROON, Scotland — Xander Schauffele won the British Open on Sunday for his second major of the year, delivering a masterpiece at Royal Troon with a 6-under 65 to overcome a two-shot deficit and give the Americans a sweep of the four majors for the first time since 1982.

Schauffele, who faced questions at the start of the season whether he could win a major, now has two of them with the brand of golf that hasn’t been seen in 90 years.

He won the PGA Championship at Valhalla by making a 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 65. In a final round at Royal Troon set up for big drama — six players one shot behind, nine players separated by three shots — Schauffele made a tense Sunday look like a nice walk along the Irish Sea.

He is the first player to win two majors with closing rounds of 65 in the same year. Jack Nicklaus is the only other player to do it in his career.

And he never looked more calm, oozing that California chill vibe even as the wind presented so much trouble at Royal Troon. Schauffele said he told caddie and longtime friend Austin Kaiser on the 18th tee that he felt calm.

“He said he was about to puke on the 18th tee,” Schauffele said.

There was no need to panic, even when it took Schauffele six holes to make a birdie when everyone around him started strong. He played bogey-free in a chilly wind and pulled away with three birdies in a four-hole stretch early on the back nine to go from two shots behind to leading by as many as three.

Wins by Two Shots Over Horschel, Rose

He won by two shots over American Billy Horschel and Justin Rose, the 43-year-old from England who had to go through 36-hole qualifying just to get into the field. They were among four players who had at least a share of the lead at one point Sunday.

They just couldn’t keep up with Schauffele. No one could.

Even with so many players in contention early, the engraver was able to get to work early on those 16 letters across the base of the silver claret jug.

Given the wind, heavy air off the Firth of Clyde and punishing nature of the Ayrshire links, Schauffele’s 65 ranks among the great closing rounds in British Open history. Playing in the third-to-last group, he matched the round of the championship with a score that was just over eight shots better than the field average.

First Since Spieth in 2015 to Win Two Majors in Same Season

The 30-year-old from San Diego became the first player since Jordan Spieth in 2015 to win his first two majors in the same season. And he extended American dominance on this Scottish links as the seventh Open champion in the last eight visits to Royal Troon.

Rose closed with a 67 and it was only good for second place. Horschel, who started the final round with a one-shot lead in his bid to win his first major, dropped back around the turn and birdied his last three holes for a 68 for his best finish in a major.

“He has a lot of horsepower,” Rose said of Schauffele. “He’s good with a wedge, he’s great with a putter, he hits the ball a long way, obviously his iron play is strong. So he’s got a lot of weapons out there. I think probably one of his most unappreciated ones is his mentality. He’s such a calm guy out there.

“I don’t know what he’s feeling, but he certainly makes it look very easy.”

The player Schauffele had to track down was Thriston Lawrence of South Africa, who birdied three of four holes to end the front nine with a 32.

Schauffele was two shots behind when it all changed so suddenly. Schauffele hit a wedge out of the left rough on the difficult 11th and judged it perfectly to 3 feet for birdie. He hit another wedge to 15 feet for birdie on the 13th, and capped his pivotal run with a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-3 14th.

Lawrence finally dropped a shot on the 12th and didn’t pick up any shots the rest of the day. He closed with a 68 and earned a small consolation — a trip to the Masters next April, his first time to Augusta National.

Scottie Scheffler, who got within one shot of the lead briefly on the front nine, lost his way with a three-putt from 6 feet for a double bogey on the ninth hole. Scheffler finished his round by topping a tee shot on the 18th and making another double bogey. The world’s No. 1 player closed with a 72 and tied for seventh.

He stuck around to share a hug with Schauffele, the two top players in golf. Schauffele was the only player this year to finish in the top 10 in all four majors.

Schauffele went from the heaviest major trophy at the PGA Championship to the smallest and oldest, the famed claret jug that he will keep for a year.

He finished at 9-under 275 and earned $3.1 million, pushing him over $15 million for the season.

POLICY – The rules are always changing

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Governor Newsom Negotiates Mortgage Relief for LA Firestorm Victims

DON'T MISS

Fresno Women’s Celebration Host People’s March on January 18th

DON'T MISS

Homes Were Burning and Roads Already Jammed When Pacific Palisades Evacuation Order Came, AP Finds

DON'T MISS

On LA Fire Lines, Inmates Shoulder Heavy Packs and Tackle Dangerous Work for Less Than $30 a Day

DON'T MISS

Trump Says He ‘Most Likely’ Will Give TikTok a 90-Day Extension to Avoid US Ban

DON'T MISS

Maria Chiquita Proves Three Legs Are Just as Good as Four

DON'T MISS

TikTok Says It Will ‘Go Dark’ Unless It Gets Clarity From Biden Following Supreme Court Ruling

DON'T MISS

Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas Will Go Into Effect Sunday Morning, Officials Say

DON'T MISS

Tens of Thousands Expected to Converge on Washington for March Days Before Trump Takes Office

DON'T MISS

Trump Arrives in Washington for Inaugural Celebrations Marking Return to Power

UP NEXT

Fresno Women’s Celebration Host People’s March on January 18th

UP NEXT

Homes Were Burning and Roads Already Jammed When Pacific Palisades Evacuation Order Came, AP Finds

UP NEXT

On LA Fire Lines, Inmates Shoulder Heavy Packs and Tackle Dangerous Work for Less Than $30 a Day

UP NEXT

Trump Says He ‘Most Likely’ Will Give TikTok a 90-Day Extension to Avoid US Ban

UP NEXT

Maria Chiquita Proves Three Legs Are Just as Good as Four

UP NEXT

TikTok Says It Will ‘Go Dark’ Unless It Gets Clarity From Biden Following Supreme Court Ruling

UP NEXT

Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas Will Go Into Effect Sunday Morning, Officials Say

UP NEXT

Tens of Thousands Expected to Converge on Washington for March Days Before Trump Takes Office

UP NEXT

Trump Arrives in Washington for Inaugural Celebrations Marking Return to Power

UP NEXT

Bird Flu Resurges in Michigan Poultry: Expert Discusses Risks to Humans and Animals

On LA Fire Lines, Inmates Shoulder Heavy Packs and Tackle Dangerous Work for Less Than $30 a Day

5 hours ago

Trump Says He ‘Most Likely’ Will Give TikTok a 90-Day Extension to Avoid US Ban

5 hours ago

Maria Chiquita Proves Three Legs Are Just as Good as Four

7 hours ago

TikTok Says It Will ‘Go Dark’ Unless It Gets Clarity From Biden Following Supreme Court Ruling

7 hours ago

Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas Will Go Into Effect Sunday Morning, Officials Say

7 hours ago

Tens of Thousands Expected to Converge on Washington for March Days Before Trump Takes Office

7 hours ago

Trump Arrives in Washington for Inaugural Celebrations Marking Return to Power

7 hours ago

Bird Flu Resurges in Michigan Poultry: Expert Discusses Risks to Humans and Animals

10 hours ago

Is Capitalism Falling Out of Favor? We Analyzed 400,000 News Stories to Find Out

10 hours ago

Water News: Pact Secures Federal Money for Dam Raise, Promotions at Westlands

24 hours ago

Governor Newsom Negotiates Mortgage Relief for LA Firestorm Victims

Governor Gavin Newsom announced that five major financial institutions have agreed to provide mortgage relief for property owners affected b...

11 minutes ago

FILE - California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer, File)
11 minutes ago

Governor Newsom Negotiates Mortgage Relief for LA Firestorm Victims

53 minutes ago

Fresno Women’s Celebration Host People’s March on January 18th

3 hours ago

Homes Were Burning and Roads Already Jammed When Pacific Palisades Evacuation Order Came, AP Finds

5 hours ago

On LA Fire Lines, Inmates Shoulder Heavy Packs and Tackle Dangerous Work for Less Than $30 a Day

5 hours ago

Trump Says He ‘Most Likely’ Will Give TikTok a 90-Day Extension to Avoid US Ban

Maria Chiquita, a playful and loving three-legged pup, is ready to bring endless joy, cuddles, and heartwarming charm to her forever family. (Mell's Mutts)
7 hours ago

Maria Chiquita Proves Three Legs Are Just as Good as Four

7 hours ago

TikTok Says It Will ‘Go Dark’ Unless It Gets Clarity From Biden Following Supreme Court Ruling

7 hours ago

Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas Will Go Into Effect Sunday Morning, Officials Say

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend