Xander Schauffele of San Diego captured the 152nd edition of the Open Championship at the Royal Troon Golf Club in westernmost Scotland. As the contestants were beginning to get through the easier front nine on Sunday, there was a logjam at the top with seven golfers of note within one stroke of one another and there were 12 within two strokes. Troon’s toughest holes are in a tight stretch from the 11th hole to the 15th hole alongside the added excitement of railroad trains, amusement parks, and the Prestwick Airport.
=Those at the top of the leaderboard didn’t falter, as is oftentimes the case over the final nine of a major championship. Instead Xander Schauffele found himself in a position to win the British Open and played what he described “as the best round of my life.” He was rock solid off the tee, his iron game was impeccable, he made a bomb length putt, a couple of good birdie looks, and a kick in birdie on the 16th hole. He never had to get up and down for a par, he never had a knee-knocker short putt on the final nine, and he appeared to be in total control of his swing and his emotions. A nice combo if you can get it.
Schauffele shot 69-72-69-65 to come in at -9 under par 275 and add $3.1 million to his bank account. He was two strokes ahead of the duo of Justin Rose and Billy Horschel. Rose is well past his 40th birthday and the former U.S. Open champion at Merion may not have many more opportunities to grab a second major. Rose will at least come away with the positive thought that he will be exempt into next year’s Open at Carnoustie. He had to go through qualifying this time around. The highly emotional Billy Horschel ended up making birdie on each of his last three holes to get to -7 under alongside Rose. It was his highest finish in a major. Horschel won a big tournament several years ago on the European Tour, partially as a protest gesture for not being named to the Ryder Cup team.
Although it is not surprising that Xander Schauffele got to lift the Caret Jug last Sunday evening, it has been a gradual process for the son of a German father and a Taiwanese mother. His father was a member of the German decathlete squad but his promising career was curtailed by an intoxicated driver. He ended up moving to San Diego where he met his future wife. He began a career as a golf instructor and then later as a club professional. He has been Xander’s one and only teacher since the boy started the game as a nine year old
Xander was not one of those kids who dominated the junior golf scene in Southern California but he did have his moments of fame. He won the California High School golf championship during his senior year. He was a member of the Cal State Fullerton golf team and was named conference freshman of the year. He left Fullerton after that first season and attended home town San Diego State. He played there for three seasons, was a third team all-American, and was a multiple honoree of the all-academic award for the Mountain West Conference. He won the Players Championship in 2017, started to get named to President’s Cup and Ryder Cup teams, and took home the Olympic gold medal in 2021.He was on a path of success to the point wherein he was oftentimes named at the “best golfer to fail to win a major.” Yet his nine year record of participation in the majors is glaring for a pair of close calls and consistent top 10 finishes.
The 2024 season has definitely been a breakout season for Schauffele. Two majors in a year is usually reserved for golfers with names like Ben, Arnie, Jack, and Tiger. Then again the feat was accomplished by Jackie Burke in 1956 and Mark O’Meara in 1998. All of the aforementioned are members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Xander is definitely headed that way although it will be in a year when Scottie Scheffler with his six wins and Masters triumph will probably be named the tour’s golfer of the year.
There are only four majors every year and for some well known linksters the 2024 season will result in a lost season for some big name golfers. Jon Rahm fell short of acquiring his third major title and Rory McIlroy has now gone 11 years without collecting his fifth major. In the case of Rory, who missed the cut at Royal Troon, this year may have marked the beginning of the end. It’s also been awhile since Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas have made an impact in a grand slam event. Perhaps having millions of dollars in a bank account has made some of them less inclined to practice, practice, practice.
Next up in the world of men’s professional golf is the playoffs that commence in three weeks to be followed by the Presidents Cup. It should make for an interesting conclusion to a season that had golf’s heavyweights take home major titles. Yes it was a very good major season for Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, and Xander Schauffele. Meanwhile we’re just nine months away from the 2025 Masters
