Xander Schauffele holds off Justin Rose to win The Open

Xander Schauffele produced a sensational final round of 65 to storm through the field at Royal Troon on Sunday to win the 152nd Open Championship and his second-ever major title. It was a superb display of golf from the 2020 Olympic champion, who fended off the advances from fellow Olympic champion Justin Rose, Thriston Lawrence and Billy Horschel to clinch the coveted Claret Jug with a final score of -9.

Rose and Schauffele had teed off together for their final round, with the 2013 US Open champion pushing the American right to end. Despite his best efforts, the British golfer would finish two shots back from the 2024 PGA Championship winner at -7, but would give a huge fist-bump to the crowd, after securing his highest finish at a major since he placed T2 at the Open back in 2018.

Schauffele, who had edged out Bryson DeChambeau by a shot to win at Valhalla earlier this year, had to wait until it was confirmed Lawrence could not catch him with the four-time DP World Tour winner wrapping up his tournament with a final round of 68 placing T3 at -6. Schauffele has now well and truly shed the nickname of 'golf's nearly man', hitting six birdies in a flawless final round. He would finish his weekend posting 69, 72, 69, 65 across his four rounds.

It was the second time this year that he has clinched a major by producing a low score of 65 on his final day, having done the same at Valhalla in May. 'It's been quite a journey and I feel very honoured to hear my name called out with Open Champion after it,' Schauffele said to Sky Sports, after he had been presented the Claret Jug. 'It's something I have dreamt of for a very long time.' 'To have two of them [majors] is unbelievable. It took me so long to get one and it gets in your head a little bit, and now I'm just spoiling myself,' he added to BBC Radio 5 Live.

While thanking his family, coaching group and the fans around Royal Troon, Schauffele gave a hint into what motivated him to win, stating that he had re-watched Henrik Stenson's epic duel with Phil Mickelson back in 2016 at Royal Troon. 'I watched the highlights of Phil [Mickelson] and Henrick [Stenson] to motivate myself for this week. I guess that paid off pretty nice,' he joked. 

Schauffele added that his experience winning the PGA Championship may have helped him stay calm during his back nine holes, with Schauffele going on to birdie the 11th, 13th, 14th and 16th holes to move ahead of overnight leader Horschel and the chasing pack. 'I thought it would help me and it actually did,' he said speaking on his victory at Valhalla. 'I had this sense of calm, a calm I didn't have at the PGA. 'I was calm and felt collected, I was telling my caddie Austin that I was feeling calm on the 18th and he said he felt he was about to puke on the 18th tee.' 

Schauffele lapped up the atmosphere on the 18th green and was also seen embracing his father, Stefan, watching on from the periphery of the green. While admitting the win hadn't sunk in yet, Schauffele admitted that he was looking forward to enjoying a tipple from the Claret Jug. 'I just can't wait to drink out of it,' the American said. 'My dad's here with me so I'll let him do the honour,' he said when pressed on what drink he'd be picking to drink out of the jug. Reflecting on being crowned the Champion Golfer, he added: 'It means a lot. It really is a dream come true to be holding this, it hasn't sunk in yet and my brain is still grinding on this amazing property.'

Rose, meanwhile, lumped praise on Schauffele, adding that Schauffele will have an exciting road ahead of him. 'A guy at the top of his game. A guy that has all the attributes that make him a great player and a great champion. 'He's obviously now learning that winning is easy. He has a lot of horsepower, do you know what I mean? In the sense of he's good with a wedge, he's great with a putter, he hits the ball a long way and 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. He plays with a freedom, which kind of tells you as a competitor that he's probably not feeling a ton of the bad stuff. 'He's got a lot of runway ahead and a lot of exciting stuff ahead, I'm sure.'

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