Sports Desk, Jul 20 (EFE) .- American Xander Schauffele won the second major of his career and of 2024 by winning the 152nd edition of the British Open, played since Thursday on the Scottish course of Royal Troon, a complicated challenge in which the Californian golfer was the best with 275 total strokes (9 under par).
Schauffele, 30, won his first major this year by winning the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. He brilliantly added a second to his tally on Sunday, moving two shots clear of compatriot Billy Horschel, who started Sunday as the leader, and Justin Rose, who failed to become the first Englishman to win the Open since Nick Faldo in 1992.
South African Thriston Lawrence finished fourth alone in three, another American, Russell Henley, finished fourth in four, and Irishman Shane Lowry, winner in 2019 and leader for the first two days, finished fifth.
To win his first claret jug, replace his compatriot Brian Harman in the Open history and pocket a cheque for 3.1 million dollars, Alexander Victor Schauffele, who already has twelve titles as a professional, put in a show on the fourth and final day, with weather conditions more benign than on the first three, and signed a card of 65 strokes (-6) against which the other contenders for the title could do nothing.
The San Diego golfer, who started the day with a one-shot disadvantage over the penultimate leader, his compatriot Billy Hoirschel, completed a dream final round without blemishes and with up to six birdies that catapulted him like a rocket towards victory.
The last time a player won two majors in the same year was in 2018, when fellow American Brooks Koepka won the US Open and the PGA Tour.
Spaniard Jon Rahm closed his participation this Sunday with his best round, 68 strokes (-3), for a total of 1 under par (283), eight behind Xander Schauffele.
The Biscayan saved his best for last, but the gap to the leaders of the tournament was already too great on the Scottish Royal Troon course.
This Sunday, the 2021 US Open and 2023 Masters champion began the fourth and final round of his overwhelming world, with three consecutive birdies on the first three holes, and added another on the 7th to sit at -4.
But on the second nine holes, with the wind already against him, Jon Rahm got stuck, bogeyed the 11th and finished with seven consecutive pars for 68 strokes (3 down). In the first three days he signed 73 (+2), 70 (-1) and 72 (+1).
The Spanish Jorge Campillo and the amateur Luis Masaveu finished with +8 and +18, respectively, while the best of the Spanish-American representation was the Argentine Emiliano Grillo, with +8. The Mexican Abraham Ancer closed the tournament with +10.
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2024-07-22 11:00:06