2024 British Open leaderboard: Xander Schauffele wins second major in three tries continuing breakout season

The major-championship dam has broken for Schauffele, and there may be no stopping him

It took 28 starts for Xander Schauffele to finally capture his first major championship. It only took two more for him to win his second. Turning an already-great major season into a historic one, Schauffele emerged from a crowded leaderboard Sunday at the 2024 Open Championship to become Champion Golfer of the Year at Royal Troon at 9 under for a two-stroke victory over Justin Rose and Billy Horschel.

Firing a stunning bogey-free 6-under 65 on a course that gave golfers fits all week, the 30-year-old American powered past a strong group of contenders to claim the Claret Jug just two months after lifting the Wanamaker Trophy by winning the 2024 PGA Championship.

Schauffele not only possesses both trophies, he will enter the 2024 Paris Olympics as the reigning gold medalist from 2020 Tokyo Games while holding the longest made-cuts streak (52) since Tiger Woods' 142 in a row. He joins Woods (four times), Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Padraig Harrington having now won multiple majors in the same season since 2000.

Even beyond his victories, Schauffele put together an all-time performance at major championships in 2024. Finishing inside the top 10 in all four events while with two trophies to his name, he joins an exclusive club that includes only Woods (two times), Tom Watson (two times), Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Spieth as players to accomplish such a feat.

Schauffele's victory registered a sweep for American golfers at men's majors this year, a feat the United States has not accomplished since 1982. Scottie Scheffler joined him winning the Masters, while Bryson DeChambeau captured the U.S. Open. The last time American golfers stood as the reigning champions of all four majors and The Players Championship simultaneously, Woods (2000-01) accomplished the feat himself. U.S. golfers have now won seven straight majors and nine of the last 10.

"It's been quite a journey. I feel very honored," Schauffele said during the Claret Jug presentation. "Hearing your name called with 'Open Champion' right after is something I've dreamt of for a very long time. I'd like to thank Royal Troon for hosting. I was only able to watch the 2016 -- actually watched the highlight of Phil [Mickelson] and Henrik [Stenson] to motivate myself for this week. I guess that paid off pretty nice."

Entering the day among the chasing pack, Schauffele bided his time on the more accessible front nine at Royal Troon. While charges were made by Rose, Billy Horschel, Thirston Lawrence, Scottie Scheffler and others, Schauffele remained steady with five straight pars to begin his final round.

A birdie on the par-5 6th marked his first circle on the scorecard, and it was soon followed after by another on the short par-4 7th. Reaching 5 under for the championship, the American went into the final nine in the final major championship of the season two off Lawrence's pace as the big-hitting South African continued to push the envelope with four front-nine birdies of his own.

With Scheffler struggling ahead following a 4-putt double bogey, Schauffele's name suddenly became the name to fear on the first page of the leaderboard. It wouldn't take long for Schauffele to make his presence known. Lacing a wedge from the left rough on the difficult par-4 11th to inside 3 feet, the smooth-swinging Californian became the only man all day to card a birdie on the hole.

The birdies didn't stop despite the inward half of Royal Troon playing nearly two strokes over par on Sunday. A connection from just inside 17 feet on the par-4 13th marked Schauffele's first birdie of the championship on the stretch of holes from Nos. 12-18. His second came on No. 14 and his third came two holes later on the par-5 16th. 

Just like that, the best player near the top of the leaderboard took control of the championship. Combined with a bogey from the blade of Lawrence in the final game, Schauffele's edge ballooned to three by the time he took to the tee on the par-3 17th. 

Hitting his final two greens in regulation, Schauffele went 9 for 9 on the back nine with his longest par putt all day coming just inside 3 feet. On paper, it was stress-free and methodical, but the rise to this point has not. A great player who some believed couldn't win the big one just a few months ago, Schauffele is now a certified superstar: a two-time major champion, a back-nine bandit and a name to fear on leaderboards. Oh yeah, and he's the Champion Golfer of the Year, too.

2024 Open Championship leaderboard breakdown

T2. Justin Rose, Billy Horschel (-7): The two veterans were stellar all week. Horschel made birdie on his opening hole to take back his overnight lead and looked more than comfortable for the front portion of his round. He remained in the mix despite of a couple front-nine bogeys, but the final nail in the coffin came when a third square was put on the scorecard on No. 10. Three birdies to end his round gave Horschel the best finish of his major career.

Meanwhile, Rose relished the role next to Schauffele. Squeezing everything out of his game -- living and dying on every shot -- the Englishman appeared to be the man to beat with nine holes to play. A bogey on No. 12 combined with a missed 8-foot birdie look on the next hole proved to be too much to overcome and represents Rose's fourth major runner-up.

"Gutted when I walked off the course and it hit me hard because I was so strong out there today," Rose said. "I kind of got off to the start I wanted. I really played the way I wanted to today. I got off on the front foot. I played my way right into the tournament early doors. Felt comfortable with it all day. Did a lot of the hard things really well on the golf course today."

4. Thirston Lawrence (-6): The surprise contender came from the final game. Entering the week as a 600-1 longshot with 1000-1 odds at the start of Moving Day, the big-hitting South African looked like he belonged. Playing his first nine holes in 4 under, Lawrence grabbed a two-stroke lead entering the final nine of a major championship. He didn't play poorly with one bogey and eight pars the rest of the way, earning himself a ticket back to The Open next year.

5. Russell Henley (-5): Henley had previously seen zero success playing links golf, but one could hardly tell if they just tuned in for the first time this week. The ever-consistent Georgia Bulldogs star went around Royal Troon in bogey-free fashion Sunday adding two birdies along the way. He now has back-to-back top 10s in majors and is becoming a bigger name to watch out for in golf's most difficult tests.

"I feel like I had a chance most of the day," Henley said. "It was just great to feel like I was in control of my game under pressure, feeling uncomfortable in an uncomfortable style of golf I haven't really played well before. So, just gives me a lot of confidence."

6. Shane Lowry (-4): The Irishman put up a great fight Sunday with a 68, but by then, it was too little too late. Lowry will look back at this championship -- where he held the 36-hole lead and moved to 8 under through his first seven holes on Saturday -- and think about the last 10 holes in his third round. Playing them in 7 over, Lowry tumbled down the leaderboard and let the Claret Jug fall out of his grasp in the process.

"It was pretty hard," Lowry said. "It was a tough evening yesterday evening, sat around the club here for a while, went home pretty late. Had some dinner, had some good chats with the people that are in my house. I just wanted to go out and give myself a chance today. ... Unfortunately, it's not good enough, and it's very disappointing. There's no two ways about it. I had a great chance of winning this Open, and it's going to hurt for a few days."

T7. Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Sungjae Im (-1): The world No. 1 appeared keen on bookending his major season with a Claret Jug. Beginning the day two adrift, Scheffler got as close as one with birdies on Nos. 7-8. All that work was undone, however, when he needed three putts from 5 feet on No. 10 and carded a double-bogey 6. It was Scheffler's second six on his scorecard in a five holes stretch and sealed his fate.

T10. Adam Scott, Daniel Brown, Matthew Jordan (E): The Cinderalla story may have turned into a frog on Sunday, but Brown will be back in 2025 thanks to his top-10 finish. Entering the week outside the top 250 in the Official World Golf Rankings and with six missed cuts and a withdrawal in his last eight worldwide starts, the Englishman turned into a name to remember. Jordan captured his second straight top 10 at The Open, while Scott will return next year as he currently rides streak of having played 93 straight majors.

[Jul 21, 2024 at 12:54 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Xander goes three clear

This is a back nine for the ages. Xander Schauffele tacks on a birdie on the par-5 16th to reach 9 under and three ahead of Justin Rose and Thirston Lawrence. Schauffele has now birdied 6 of his last 11 holes and is 4 under on this side of the golf course with two to play. Before today, Schauffele did not have a birdie from Nos. 12-18. He now has three.

[Jul 21, 2024 at 12:25 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Schauffele is surging

This has been an incredible back nine from Xander Schauffele. He connects for yet another birdie with the latest coming on the par-3 14th to extend his lead to two at 8 under. He is now 3 under on his last four holes and two clear of Thirston Lawrence and three clear of Justin Rose.

[Jul 21, 2024 at 12:16 pm ET · Kyle Porter]

Xander's to lose

With Thriston Lawrence struggling on No. 12 this tournament suddenly looks like it's Xander Schauffele's to lose. He's tied at -7 with just one player (Justin Rose) within two.