The 30-year-old golf professional wins confidently on the Scottish west coast. For Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, the major tournament ends in frustration.
After the next triumph in his magnificent career, Xander Schauffele hugged his family tightly behind the 18th green of the Royal Troon Golf Club. The Olympic champion celebrated his triumph at the British Open in Troon, Scotland, with his wife Maya, mother Ping Yi and father Stefan. For the 30-year-old American, it is his second triumph at a major tournament, two months after his first victory at the PGA Championship.
Thanks to a strong final round of 65, Schauffele beat the American Billy Horschel and the Englishman Justin Rose (both 277 strokes) with a total score of 275 strokes. For his victory in the traditional tournament, the Californian received prize money of 3.1 million US dollars and the Claret Jug winner’s trophy – a silver wine jug. Schauffele can also bear the title of “Champion Golfer of the Year” for one year.
Gusty winds and deep sand bunkers challenged the golfers
Schauffele mastered the difficult conditions on the demanding par-71 course on the Scottish west coast best. Gusty winds, deep sand bunkers and extremely hard and undulating fairways and greens demanded everything from the players over four days.
Xander Schauffele has been one of the top players on the US tour for years. Before his triumph at the British Open, he had already won eight PGA tournaments. In 2021, he won the gold medal for the USA at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
US superstar Tiger Woods and world number two Rory McIlroy from Northern Ireland were deeply frustrated. Both experienced a sporting debacle at the 152nd British Open and were eliminated early after just two days. Woods, now 48, immediately took action after his poor performance and declared his season over. Woods, who still has physical problems after the serious car accident in February 2021 and the numerous operations, is not thinking about ending his career.