Xander Schauffele wins Open Championship after final-round 65

TROON, Scotland — Xander Schauffele’s critics used to say he did not have the nerves or spine to win certainly one of golf’s main championships.

Now, the 30-year-old PGA Tour star from San Diego cannot cease profitable them.

Two months after Schauffele captured his first main championship victory on the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Membership in Louisville, Kentucky, he added a second one Sunday on the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Membership.

On a day when seven golfers began the ultimate spherical inside one shot of chief Billy Horschel, Schauffele was the person holding the Claret Jug on the iconic hyperlinks course on Scotland’s west coast. He posted a 6-under 65 on Sunday, similar to he did within the ultimate spherical of the PGA Championship, and his 72-hole whole of 9-under 275 put him two strokes forward of Horschel and England’s Justin Rose.

South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence was one other stroke again.

In keeping with ESPN Stats & Data, Schauffele is the primary golfer within the Masters period (since 1934) to have a number of ultimate rounds of 65 or higher in majors in the identical yr.

It is the seventh consecutive main gained by an American golfer, the longest such streak since they captured 13 straight from 1974 to 1977.

It is the primary yr since 1982 that U.S. golfers claimed all 4 majors — Scottie Scheffler gained the Masters and Bryson DeChambeau captured the U.S. Open.

Schauffele is the primary golfer since Brooks Koepka in 2018 (U.S. Open and PGA Championship) to assert two majors in a single season. It is solely the seventh time a participant gained each the PGA Championship and The Open in the identical yr; Rory McIlroy was the final to do it in 2014.

Schauffele’s victory on Sunday required persistence. He opened his ultimate spherical with 5 straight pars, and he fell behind Horschel, Lawrence and Rose. Schauffele kick-started his spherical with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 6 and seven and made the flip at 2-under 34.

Whereas the troublesome par-4 eleventh, generally known as The Railway, ended loads of golfers’ hopes this week, Schauffele averted bother off the tee and hit his strategy from 171 yards to 2½ toes for an additional birdie to get to six beneath. He moved right into a tie for first when Lawrence made a bogey on the twelfth.

Schauffele then seized management with one other pair of birdies, making a 16-foot uphill putt on the par-4 thirteenth and a 12½-footer on the par-3 14th. He moved to eight beneath and had a two-stroke lead with 4 holes to play.

Schauffele added one other birdie on the par-5 sixteenth to stretch his result in three pictures.

A number of different golfers, together with Scheffler, the No. 1-ranked participant on the planet, faltered down the stretch. Scheffler was on the lookout for his seventh victory and second main championship title this season. He moved into the combination with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 7 and eight.

Scheffler’s possibilities of profitable a Claret Jug ended on the par-4 ninth. His strategy shot was 15 yards wanting the inexperienced. He putted to 6½ toes and someway 3-putted from there, lacking from 2 toes, 8 inches on the second try. Scheffler carded a double-bogey 6, dropping him 2 beneath, 4 pictures behind the leaders as he made the flip.

Scheffler additionally had a double-bogey on the 18th. He posted a 1-over 72 and tied for seventh at 1-under 283.

Spain’s Jon Rahm made one of many largest strikes after beginning the day six pictures behind Horschel. The 2-time main champion made 4 birdies in his first seven holes to get to 2 beneath.

On the par-4 eleventh gap, Rahm pushed his tee shot in the direction of the railway on the proper. He hit a provisional tee shot, however ended up discovering his ball in a gorse bush. Following a one-stroke penalty for an unplayable lie, Rahm made a bogey 5, dropping him to 1 beneath. He posted a 3-under 68 and completed 1-under 283.

England’s Daniel Brown, who grew up on a pig and cow farm and practically gave up golf 4 years in the past, carded 4 bogeys in his first six holes to fall again to even, 5 strokes behind the early leaders.

It was the tip of one of many extra outstanding tales in latest Open historical past. Brown made the sector by draining a 20-foot putt in ultimate qualifying. After lacking the lower in six of his earlier eight begins on the DP World Tour, he began the day just one shot behind Horschel. Brown was making an attempt to grow to be solely the fourth golfer since 1900 to win a significant championship in his debut.

Brown was 3-over 74 within the ultimate 18 holes, ending at even-par 284, which tied him for tenth.

Two-time main champion Justin Thomas, who began the ultimate spherical 4 strokes behind Horschel, took himself out of the hunt when he hit a wild tee shot and needed to re-tee on the opening gap, leading to a triple-bogey 7. Thomas tied for thirty first at 6 over after posting a 6-over 77 within the ultimate spherical.

Scotland’s Calum Scott, an All-Massive 12 choice final season at Texas Tech, gained the Silver Medal because the low beginner. He carded a 5-over 76 on Sunday to complete 8-over 292.