American Xander Schauffele clinched victory at the British Open on Sunday, earning his second major championship just two months after his first win.
The 30-year-old Californian carded a flawless final round of 65 at Royal Troon in Scotland to emerge as the winner from a tightly contested leaderboard and claim the prestigious Claret Jug.
Schauffele, who won the PGA Championship in May, finished at nine-under par, two strokes ahead of England’s Justin Rose and Billy Horschel of the USA.
“Oh man,” he said, “Being announced as the ‘Open champion’ is something I’ve always dreamed of for a long time.”
Starting the final 18 holes tied for second with five others, one shot behind the overnight leader Horschel, Schauffele made a strong start, reaching two-under par at the turn with birdies on the sixth and seventh holes.
As his closest competitors faltered, Schauffele surged ahead at the beginning of the back nine. He sank a tap-in birdie on the 11th and followed it up with a 16-foot birdie putt on the 13th to tie with Lawrence at seven under.
In a matter of moments, Schauffele claimed sole lead as Lawrence dropped a shot on the 12th. Schauffele extended his lead to two shots after a birdie on the 14th hole and further to three shots with another birdie on the 16th after a brilliant chip shot over a bunker.
Two pars on the closing holes secured the championship for Schauffele, making him the first golfer since Brooks Koepka in 2018 to win two majors in a single season.
Despite Lawrence holding a one-shot lead at the turn, he finished fourth at six under. Rose tied for second with Horschel at seven under after a mixed round, and Russell Henley finished fifth a shot behind.
Other notable players like Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, and Shane Lowry also made their mark on the tournament, finishing in the top ten.
Unfortunately, stars like Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods struggled in the challenging conditions and failed to make the cut.
Young Englishman Daniel Brown, playing in his first major, finished tied for 10th with a three-over-par round.
Overall, the British Open provided thrilling competition and unforgettable moments on the course.
