Shane Lowry -4 records his second top 10 major finish in 2024 as -9 Xander Schauffele wins The 152nd Open Championship
Royal Troon hosted The 152nd Open Championship from July 18th to 21st. Playing conditions on the west coast of Scotland were extremely tricky all week with heavy rain & wind and major champions Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau both missed +6 halfway cut. With The Open been golf’s final major of 2024 McIlroy will have to wait until next year for another major challenge at Augusta. Nine players entered the par 71 layout under par for Sunday’s final round which was led by -4 Billy Horschel and chasing pack included -3 Justin Rose, Sam Burns, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley & Thriston Lawrence. Shane Lowry who was halfway leader of Open Championship on -7 had a Saturday to forget with shooting +6 and started Sunday three behind Horschel.
Offaly native -1 had Adam Scott for company on Sunday and started with two excellent par saves before a bogey at three. Lowry responded brillantly with four birdies in five holes to shoot a -3 front nine. Lowry -4 entered the back nine three shots behind -7 leader Lawrence. Irishman’s challenge stalled due to a bogey at 11 but finished his Open Championship by holing a birdie putt and a par to shoot 68. Lowry finished sixth on -4. “I had a great chance of winning this Open, and it's going to hurt for a few days. But onwards and upwards and onto the Olympics and try to win a medal for Ireland”, said Lowry.
Horschel got off to a perfect start especially with playing the first six holes in -2 before coming another victim of 100 yard Postage Stamp eighth hole. Horschel’s playing partner Lawrence was brave with tee shots and paid off to shoot a -4 front nine. Rose attempting to be first English winner of The Open since Sir Nick Faldo in 1992 and he played nine holes in a sensational -3 to reach -6.
Schauffele -5 who has an added swagger since winning PGA Championship seized initiative and hit extraordinary shots at 11, 13, 14 to jump up into first position on -8. Schauffele’s exceptional play put added pressure on chasing pack and Rose, Lowry, Lawrence and Horschel all made early back nine bogeys. Schauffele put one hand on the Claret Jug with his sixth birdie of Sunday coming at 16 to reach -9. 2020 Olympic Gold Medallist signed for a sensational round of 65 and was shortly announced as winner due to -6 Lawrence & Rose running out of holes. Schauffele is only the second golfer since Rory McIlroy in 2014 to win both The Open and PGA Championship in same year. “I feel very honoured. Hearing your name called with "Open Champion" right after is something I've dreamt of for a very long time”, said Schauffele.
Horschel and Rose were both successful with achieving late birdies to finish tied second on -7. Lawrence and Russell Henley impressed on Sunday to both finish inside the top five. Europeans will have a tough challenge on their hands to get back inside major circle as 2024 Masters, PGA Championship, US Open and The Open were all won by American golfers. Padraig Harrington finished tied 22nd and heads to Carnoustie for the Senior’s Open a venue were he won 2007 Open Championship in good form. Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin +12 and Darren Clarke +15 both played all four rounds but finished well down the leaderboard.