Xander Schauffele eyes career Slam after British Open triumph

LONDON – Xander Schauffele is dreaming of a career Grand Slam after claiming the British Open to clinch his second Major title just two months after he broke his duck.

The 30-year-old won the PGA Championship in May and now requires the Masters and US Open to complete the hallowed quartet of golf’s biggest trophies.

Only five players have won all four Majors – Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods – but Schauffele hopes he can join that illustrious list.

“Yeah, I mean, before I had any Majors, it’s something I’ve always wanted,” the American said on July 21 after lifting the Claret Jug at Royal Troon on Scotland’s west coast by two strokes.

“I’m one step closer and still have a long way to go. But if you don’t see yourself doing it, you’re never going to do it.”

He was coolness personified as he put together a flawless final-round score of 65 to post a winning total of nine-under 275, two shots ahead of England’s Justin Rose and American Billy Horschel. Precision golf meant he hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation and nine of 14 fairways.

Schauffele had been one of six players tied for second going into the final round, a shot behind overnight leader Horschel, who was seeking his first Major title.

He believes his victory at the PGA at Valhalla, where he registered a Major record of 21 under, paved the way for his latest triumph.

“This week was hard,” Schauffele said, referring in particular to the brutal weather conditions.

“I think winning the first one helped me a lot today on the back nine. I had some feeling of calmness come through. It was very helpful on what has been one of the hardest back nines I’ve ever played in a tournament.”

It seems the Ayrshire coast elements eventually got the better of Rose, who barely put a foot wrong over the four days.

The 43-year-old dropped only five shots all weekend and topped the leaderboard at various times during the final round, but had to settle for joint-second.

“Gutted when I walked off the course and it hit me hard because I was so strong out there today,” Rose, who was laser-focused throughout the day but saw several birdie putts fail to drop, said after his second British Open runner-up finish.

“I won second place, I won points, I won prizes, FedExCup points, all that stuff too. At that point, you’re being a professional. Then I walk 10 steps later, and I’m choking back tears. So that’s the shift.”

South African Thriston Lawrence (68) ended on his own in fourth spot at 278, while American Russell Henley (69) was a shot further back in fifth. Ireland’s Shane Lowry, the leader after two rounds, posted a 68 to finish on 280 in sixth place.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (72) and two-time Major champion Jon Rahm (68) both briefly threatened a run up the leaderboard, but finished tied for seventh on 283 alongside South Korea’s Im Sung-jae (69).

Several stars struggled this week due to the testing weather conditions, thick rough and well-placed punitive pot bunkers.

Rory McIlroy missed the cut, extending his decade-long wait for a fifth Major into 2025, as did US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, Ludvig Aberg, Wyndham Clark and Viktor Hovland.

Three-time champion Tiger Woods also missed the weekend, recording his worst performance at the British Open with a 14-over score of 156. 

Rose, a stalwart of Europe’s Ryder Cup team with six appearances, paid tribute to the 30-year-old Schauffele’s mentality.

“He’s obviously now learning that the winning is easy. He has a lot of horsepower, in the sense of he’s good with a wedge, he’s great with a putter, he hits the ball a long way, obviously his iron play is strong,” the 2013 US Open champion and 2016 Rio Olympic gold medallist said.

“He’s got a lot of weapons out there and I think probably one of his most unappreciated ones is his mentality. He’s such a calm guy out there. He certainly makes it look very easy.”

Schauffele is the first player to win two Majors in a year since Brooks Koepka in 2018.

“I mean, it’s a dream come true to win two Majors in one year. It took me forever just to win one, and to have two now is something else,” the new world No. 2 said.

He is set to defend the gold medal he won at the Tokyo Olympics in Paris in August. AFP, REUTERS