BY DOUG FERGUSON July 21, 2024
TROON, Scotland (AP) — Xander Schauffele won the British Open on Sunday for his second major of the year, delivering a masterpiece at Royal Troon with a 6-under 65 to overcome a two-shot deficit and give the Americans a sweep of the majors for the first time since 1982.
Schauffele won the PGA Championship at Valhalla two months ago by making a 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole. In a final round set up for big drama — nine players separated by three shots at the start — Schauffele made it look like a nice walk along the Irish Sea.
He played bogey-free in a strong, chilly wind and pulled away with three birdies in a four-hole stretch early on the back nine to go from two shots behind to leading by as many as three.
The 30-year-old from San Diego became the first player since Jordan Spieth in 2015 to win his first two majors in the same season. And he extended American dominance on this Scottish links as the seventh Open champion in the last eight visits to Royal Troon.
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Doug Ferguson has been the AP’s golf writer since 1998. He is a recipient of the PGA Lifetime Achievement in Journalism award.