Xander Schauffele delivered a golfing masterclass to win The 152nd Open at Royal Troon.

 

Xander Schauffele delivered a golfing masterclass to win The 152nd Open at Royal Troon.

Xander Schauffele’s Historic Triumph: A 42-Year First at The Open

Xander Schauffele showcased an extraordinary golfing performance to claim victory at The 152nd Open at Royal Troon, delivering one of the most impressive wins in recent memory.

 

The American golfer clinched his second major title of the year with a two-shot victory over Justin Rose and Billy Horschel. This triumph marks Schauffele as the first player since Rory McIlroy in 2014 to win both the PGA Championship and The Open in the same season.

 

Schauffele’s win also capped off a dominant year for American golfers in the majors, following Scottie Scheffler’s victory at The Masters and Bryson DeChambeau’s win at the US Open. Yet, Schauffele’s victory stands out as arguably the most remarkable.

 

The challenging conditions at Royal Troon proved too much for many of golf’s elite, but Schauffele navigated the course with remarkable composure. Under intense pressure, the 30-year-old delivered a near-flawless performance, shooting four-under on a back nine where only three others managed to break par.

 

Starting the final day level with Schauffele, qualifier Rose also played an outstanding round of 67, narrowly missing several crucial putts that could have altered the outcome. Nevertheless, on a day when shooting 65 seemed almost impossible, Schauffele’s final round will be remembered as one of the greatest in Open history.

 

Schauffele not only matched McIlroy’s feat but also became the first player since Jack Nicklaus to shoot 65 in the final round of multiple majors to secure victory. Additionally, he joined the elite company of Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth as the third player ever to finish in the top eight in all four majors and win more than one in the same year.

 

In the top ten, 54-hole leader Horschel tied for second with Rose, while World No. 98 Thirston Lawrence, who led briefly, faded on the back nine to finish fourth. Russell Henley secured fifth place, just ahead of 2019 champion Shane Lowry. Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler, and Sungjae-Im shared seventh place, each ending the championship at one-under-par.

 

Englishmen Dan Brown and Matthew Jordan completed a memorable week, tying for tenth alongside Adam Scott.