Live reaction from the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon as Xander Schauffele becomes Champion Golfer, beating Justin Rose and Billy Horschel by two strokes.
Michael Bailey
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The Open 2024 — Final leaderboard
- XANDER SCHAUFFELE wins the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon.
- The PGA champion hits a Sunday-best round of 65 to blow the field away, and win his second major of the year.
Final leaderboard:
- 1 (-9): SCHAUFFELE (65)
- T2 (-7): Rose (67), Horschel (68)
- 4 (-6): Lawrence (68)
- 5 (-5): Henley (69)
- 6 (-4): Lowry (68)
Another mark of Schauffele’s incredible year
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Players in the modern era — since the first Masters in 1934 — to have 10 or more top-10 finishes in majors, then win their first two majors in the same season:
- 1941: Craig Wood
- 2024: Xander Schauffele
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Royal Troon and a constantly evolving challenge
Sometimes you get lucky (or not).
Rose proud of his Troon efforts
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It was an emotional Justin Rose who spoke to Sky Sports in the moments just after his final round. So near and yet so far from a fairy tale. But still an amazing week for someone who had to qualify just to compete. Rose said:
💬 “Obviously I tried to enjoy the walk down 18 because we did a really incredible job out there. I felt like we played unbelievable.
“Xander, every credit to him. He’s made it look so easy on the back nine and he’s a cold, cold competitor.
“I couldn’t be more proud of myself, the way I competed today.
“You know, sometimes it’s OK to be beaten by someone who shoots 31 in the back nine.
“I gave it everything this week.”
U.S. leaders on a major run
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American players to win The Open and PGA Championship in the same season:
- Walter Hagen (1924)
- Tiger Woods (2000
- Tiger Woods (2006)
- Xander Schauffele (2024)
Indeed, American players have swept the men’s major championship season for the first time in a year where all four were contested, since 1982.
Success breeds success for Champion Golfer
Xander Schauffele looked a different player finishing this major compared to the PGA Championship finale at Valhalla earlier in the year, and he felt it too.
💬 “I thought it would help me and it actually did. I had this sense of calm, a calm I didn’t have when I played at the PGA.
“I was telling Austin (Kaiser, caddy) that I felt pretty calm coming down the stretch, and he said he was about to puke!”
Schauffele’s champion duties continue
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It’s going to be a busy time of it now. Xander Schauffele is already doing multiple interviews with broadcasters, and will have plenty more press to do too.
He’s clutching the Claret Jug of course, but I just wonder if he’s holding off having a proper look at it in the same way you don’t always want to open all your Christmas presents immediately.
At least he should be done with the photographers for a bit, now he’s sat on an 18th bunker for the iconic champion shoot.
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Schauffele took inspiration from 2016
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Here is what Xander Schauffele said immediately after his presentation of the Claret Jug — and having thanked his team and family:
💬 “It’s been quite a journey. Hearing your name called with Open Champion right after, it is something I’ve dreamt of for a very long time.
“I actually watched the highlights of Phil Mickleson and Henrik Stenson (from the 2016 Open Championship at Royal Troon) to motivate myself for this week… I guess it paid it off pretty nice.
“I’m from San Diego, so I don’t know how you guys manage this weather and make the course look as good as it does.”
A consistent major year for Xander
Top-eight in all four majors in same season including multiple wins, since 1980:
- 2000: Tiger Woods
- 2005: Tiger Woods
- 2015: Jordan Spieth
- 2024: Xander Schauffele
Elite group for Schauffele after huge final round
Players to shoot 65 or lower multiple times in the final round of major championship wins:
Jack Nicklaus:
- 1967 U.S. Open
- 1986 Masters
Xander Schauffele:
- 2024 PGA
- 2024 Open
Quite the reception
Lifting the Claret Jug? Yes, that is pretty good.
But this will be pretty close too — walking up the 18th, knowing you’ve all but sealed the Open Championship.
Taking away the gold medal
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Next up, it’s the gold medal — although it’s been much more regularly referred to as the title Champion Golfer or winning the Claret Jug, of course.
Xander Schauffele holds it aloft, takes the mic and starts with, “Oh my…”
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It is presentations time at last
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It feels like it has been quite the wait, but we’re finally into the presentations.
First up, Scotland’s Calum Scott steps forward to receive the Silver Medal as top amateur this week.
Big finish from Billy Horschel
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Here is the final leaderboard, with a big nod to Billy Horschel — he birdies the final three holes to finish tied-second with Justin Rose.
At the start of the day, Horschel may have felt a 68 would have won him his first major.
Xander Schauffele clearly had other ideas. What a round. What a day. What a week.
- 1 (-9): SCHAUFFELE (65)
- T2 (-7): Rose (67), Horschel (68)
- 4 (-6): Lawrence (68)
- 5 (-5): Henley (69)
Schauffele wins his second major of 2024
Xander Schauffele was for so long the best golfer without a major. Now, in two months, Schauffele has instead put forth one of the great major campaigns and cemented his place as one of his era’s great players.
The ever-steady 30-year-old star never topped the Open leaderboard Thursday to Saturday, always quietly lurking in the top 10 before shooting a Sunday 65 to win the 152nd Open Championship for his second major title in three starts.
He finished at 9-under-par with six birdies and 12 pars in his final round at Royal Troon.
Schauffele takes a seat and beams
Xander Schauffele is taking a seat, waiting for the final rounds to be completed — which will be done soon.
He’s smiling, but then he has been for about two hours. He looked so confident and calm out there, it was hard to doubt he’d get it done once he hit the front.
The Claret Jug has already been engraved with his name. Now it just needs to be presented.
Rose’s reaction says it all
2: Rose (-7) 67
Indeed, it’s a brilliant birdie putt to finish from Justin Rose, whose 67 is also hugely impressive.
Who knows if he’ll get as close again to a major title — but you’ll do well to find people who would bet against him.
A great ride and one of the stories of this week.
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Justin finishes in style
What a way to finish for Justin Rose. Two under in his final three holes to get into solo second place.
He played brilliantly all week — especially after needing to qualify into the tournament and getting the wrong end of the tee time draw.
2024 OPEN CHAMPION: XANDER SCHAUFFELE!
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YES! He has officially done it. No one can catch him now.
The 2024 PGA Championship was his first major. Now he has followed it by becoming this year’s Champion Golfer.
XANDER SCHAUFFELE — 152nd Open Champion!
And what a performance it has been. Sensational, assured, and untouchable.
A stunning round seals the deal
1: Schauffele (-9) 65
The putt runs just past the rim but that is for a birdie. Xander Schauffele’s par is more than enough.
He finishes with Sunday best round of 65 and what will be the Claret Jug
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