Golf followers, pundits, and historians alike will talk about Xander Schauffele’s exceptional back-nine at Royal Troon for many years to come back.
It’s probably the most difficult stretches in main championship golf, but Schauffele made it look simple. He made 4 birdies over his ultimate 9 holes, two of which got here on the eleventh and thirteenth holes—two of essentially the most formidable par-4s on this planet. A pair of par breakers on the par-3 14th and par-5 sixteenth adopted, as he in the end shot an unbelievable 6-under 65 on Sunday—by far one of the best spherical of the day.
Schauffele, now a two-time main champion, received the Claret Jug by two over Justin Rose and Billy Horschel, as he separated himself from the contenders down the stretch.
However after his strategy into the eleventh inexperienced, you had a sense that Schauffele had one thing particular in retailer for him.
Generally known as “The Railway,” the eleventh performed as the toughest gap all week at Royal Troon. Prepare tracks run down everything of the appropriate facet whereas thick gorse bushes swallow any golf ball that veers left. Each locations are absolute no-go’s. With all of that bother lurking, Schauffele flirted with the gorse, however then turned in one of the best shot of the day as he took his first step towards victory with this gorgeous strategy:
South African Thriston Lawrence held the lead at 7-under-par at that juncture, however Schauffele matched that mark two holes later. Lawrence then bogeyed the twelfth gap, dropping him again to 6-under and leaving Schauffele on their own atop the leaderboard.
It then grew to become a straightforward Sunday stroll for Schauffele, who had no stress down the stretch, a lot in contrast to his triumph at Valhalla.
Talking of his PGA Championship victory, Schauffele now enters rarified air together with his newest main win at Royal Troon. He turns into the primary participant to fireplace a ultimate spherical 65 and win a serious twice in the identical 12 months. Solely Jack Nicklaus has ever shot a 65 or higher within the ultimate spherical of a serious greater than as soon as, doing so on the 1967 U.S. Open and the 1986 Masters, per Justin Ray. However even Nicklaus didn’t accomplish that feat twice in the identical season, and he received 18 majors.
But, wanting again, the Claret Jug was at all times Schauffele’s. He made solely six bogies all week, none of which got here on Sunday. He made zero errors over 72 holes, averted the pot bunkers for essentially the most half, and fought off brutal circumstances on Saturday with a stellar 69, a spherical he referred to as top-of-the-line of his profession.
However his Sunday 65 topped that efficiency after which some. Schauffele emerged from a bevy of gamers and turned the ultimate few holes of The Open into a nap fest. He had one hand on the Claret Jug when he arrived on the sixteenth tee.
Now Schauffele turns into the primary participant since Brooks Koepka in 2018 to win a pair of majors in the identical season. He’s little doubt top-of-the-line gamers on this planet and can arrive in Paris as one of many favorites for the gold medal—a medal that he received in 2021. Earlier than then, nevertheless, Schauffele will take a while to soak in his second main and have a good time his victory by having a drink or two out of the Claret Jug.
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By way of. You should definitely try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.
