US golfer Xander Schauffele with the Claret Jug after his two-stroke Open Championship victory at Royal Troon in Scotland on Sunday. Image courtesy theopen.com.
By Rahul Banerji
Xander Schauffele’s bogey-free final round saw the Tokyo Olympic champion and PGA winner beat off a bunch of challengers and win the 152nd Open Championship at Troon in Scotland on Sunday.
The American emerged from a packed leaderboard to win the $17 million final major of the year by three shots at Royal Troon’s windswept links and crown himself Champion Golfer of the Year.
The title goes to the winner of the Claret Jug, golf’s most famous trophy which resides with The Open champion till its next edition.
India’s Shubhankar Sharma took a share of 19th place on 3 over par 287 with a closing 1 over 72 on Sunday to follow his tied eighth at The Open last year at Royal Liverpool.
Starting out a stroke behind overnight leader and countryman Billy Horschel, world number three Schauffele produced a sublime exhibition to total 9 under par 275, hitting 16 of 18 greens in regulation and nine of 14 fairways.
“It means a lot. It’s something all of us play for and it really is a dream come true to be holding this, it definitely hasn’t sunk in yet,” Schauffele, 30, said at the trophy presentation.
“My brain is still grinding on this amazing property here trying to get through the holes. I can’t wait to sit back and have a moment with this Claret Jug.
Calm approach
“For some reason I felt calm, I felt collected and I was telling my caddie on the 18th that I felt pretty calm coming down the stretch and he said he was about to puke on the 18th tee.”
“It took me forever just to win one and to have two now is something else. I feel very honoured hearing my name called with Open champion right after it. It’s something I have dreamed of for a very long time.”
Schauffele’s victory made him the first since Rory McIlroy in 2014 to win The Open and the PGA Championship in the same year and also means the last seven majors have all been won by Americans.
For the first time since 1982, US golfers swept the season’s majors starting with Scottie Scheffler (Masters), Schauffele (PGA Championship, The Open) and Bryson DeChambeau (US Open).
World number three Scheuffele denied gallant charges by England’s Justin Rose, Horschel and Thriston Lawrence of South Africa with the result.
Long wait
Rose was looking to end a 32-year wait for an English winner at The Open since Nick Faldo in 1992 but finished two strokes behind Schauffele despite a gritty effort that saw him drop just five shots over 72 holes.
“Gutted when I walked off the course and it hit me hard because I was so strong out there today,” the 43-year-old told reporters after his second Open runner-up finish.
“I won second place, I won points, I won prizes, FedEx Cup points, all that stuff too. At that point, you’re being a professional. Then I walk 10 steps and I’m choking back tears. So that’s the shift.
“Really played the way I wanted to today. I got off on the front foot. I played my way right into the tournament early doors. Did a lot of the hard things really well on the golf course today.”
The battling Horschel birdied 18 to join Rose on 7 under 277 and Lawrence was fourth on 6 under 278 with Russell Henley of the US fifth on 279 and Ireland’s 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry sixth on 4 under 280.
Team effort
Schauffele’s mother, father and wife were all present at Royal Troon and he paid tribute to his team after claiming golf’s original Championship.
“I’d like to thank my entire family, my team, they know who they are, it’s been quite a journey, I feel very honoured hearing my name called with Open Champion right after.
“That walk up 18 truly is really one of the coolest feelings I’ve ever had in my life. I got chills walking down 18 and I quickly had to zap myself back into focus because the tournament wasn’t over yet.”
Schauffele won the PGA Championship with a 21 under total, the lowest score in major championship history, and became the first to win multiple majors in the same year since Brooks Koepka triumphed at the 2018 US Open and PGA Championship.
Also read: Gusty Royal Troon claims big scalps but Shubhankar makes gains
Discover more from Tee Time Tales
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.