Xander Schauffele said his 65 in the final round of the 152nd British Open was his best score ever, adding that he was so far ahead of the rest of the field on a stunning back nine that “there was no way I was going to give up” the lead.
Schauffele was one of six players tied for second entering the final round of the Royal Troon Championship, one shot behind Billy Horschel, but he took control of the tournament with two straight birdies starting on the sixth hole and four more in the six holes after the turn.
The reigning PGA champion finished at nine under, two shots ahead of fellow fielder Justin Rose and overnight player Horschel, who put pressure on their opponents with two birdies and three birdies, respectively, over the final three holes.
“I’ve always dreamed of doing this,” Schauffele said after his win. “Walking up to the 18th hole was truly one of the coolest feelings of my life, with the yellow lead sign, the fans and the standing ovation.”
“I felt a chill as I walked down and had to refocus quickly because the game wasn’t over yet.”
Xander Schauffele poses with the claret jug after winning the 152nd Open at Royal Troon
Asked how he ranked his final round, Schauffele added: “Being in the groove. It was the best round I ever played.”
“It’s an amazing feeling to be here and lift the Claret Jug. But at the end of the day it’s just a result and I really believe that.”
“Sometimes things go your way, and sometimes they don’t. Today I felt like I was really in control of a lot of things… I kind of grabbed a hold of it, and there was no way I was going to let it go.
“Those tough losses in the past, or those moments where I slipped up and dreamed too early on the back nine, today I was able to control myself and make sure those things didn’t happen.”
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Schauffele said he looks forward to continuing the tradition of drinking from the famous claret jug
Prior to his PGA Championship victory in May, Schauffele was considered one of golf’s “near misses” after finishing in the top 10 12 times but never winning a major. Schauffele believed his success at Valhalla helped him seal the victory on the final day at Royal Troon.
Schauffele needed a birdie on the par-5 final hole to avoid a playoff with Bryson DeChambeau, and he holed out from six feet to win at 21 under — the lowest 72-hole score in men’s major championship history.
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Schauffele tells Sky Sports about some of his key shots in the Royal Troon final
“Winning the first hole helped me a lot on the back nine today,” Schauffele said. “I felt calm, which helped me a lot, and this was one of the hardest back nines I’ve ever played in any tournament.
“Winning two Grand Slams in one year is a dream come true. It took me a long time to win one, so to win two now is something else.”
He added: “When you’re trying to win a big tournament, you feel a lot of pressure. I’ve felt that in the past, tournaments that I didn’t win, and I let that get to me.
“Today, I felt like I weathered the storm pretty well when I needed to.”
“PGA Championship win takes the pressure off Schauffele”
Dame Laura Davies of Sky Sports:
“He won the tournament because he holed that putt. [to win] In Valhalla.
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Earlier this year, Schauffele won his first major championship with a birdie on the final hole of the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club
“He won Valhalla because he was more motivated in the race on Sunday. He always looked like someone who was just happy to do well in the race, rather than trying to win it.
“If he hadn’t won at Valhalla, he would still be in a position where he had never won a major despite being one of the best players in the world.
“It takes all the pressure off. He's ranked No. 2 in the world now… We're going to see more and more from him.”
Andrew Coltart of Sky Sports:
“Valhalla changed his beliefs. He has knocked on the door so many times… We wonder if he has what it takes to take the next step.
“Continuing to deal with the difficulties he had in the PGA Championship, shooting 62 again in a major championship… that stuff finally started to percolate into his brain and make him think, ‘I’m pretty good at this.
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Schauffele had a strong first day at Valhalla, becoming the first player in PGA Championship history to shoot 62
“There are no weaknesses in Schauffele’s game, but there are weaknesses in his mentality. He comes from America, where golf is almost always one-dimensional, and they don’t have to deal with testing conditions or tough bounces or bad draws…
“He came in here and handled everything the Royal Troon team gave him. It was that ability and that belief that made him almost indestructible.”
What's next?
The PGA Tour heads to Minnesota for the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities, with Sky Sports Golf broadcasting live from 6pm on Thursday. The next regular DP World Tour event is the D+D Czech Masters from August 15-18. Watch the PGA Tour, Majors, and more top sports with NOW.
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