American Xander Schauffele, from San Diego, California, just won The Open at Royal Troon Golf Club by two strokes over Americans Justin Rose and Billy Horschel who finished tied for runner-up. Perfect swinging Rose, who is now forty-three years old, has been runner-up in four majors without winning one.
Xander shot a brilliant six-under par 65, with a blazing 31 on the difficult back nine. It was his second major win this year after winning America’s PGA Championship in May by one stroke over Bryson DeChambeau, who the next month won his second U.S. Open. This year was the first time Americans won all four majors in one year since 1982.
As for this year’s Masters winner and #1 golfer in the world, Scottie Scheffler, he and his buddy Sam Burns—the two most prominent representatives of the PGA Tour Bible that meets weekly on that tour—both imploded. Scheffler four-putted from off the green on one hole, and Burns drove across the railroad tracks on another hole, both making double bogeys. However, Scottie still finished in the top ten at tied for ninth.
Schauffele often had contended in the majors down the stretch on the last round and just couldn’t win one. His smooth swing and steady game was always like a farmer of yesteryear, who would keep on plowing his field and thus never giving up. But now, Xander seems to have found some secret sauce that has ushered him in to the dinner table in that elite, majors, winners circle. Hats off to him for his persistence.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In