Schauffele’s Open
Xander Schauffele won his second Major of the year, seeing off the challenge of Trystan Lawrence and Justin Rose.
Yorkshireman Dan Brown, who up to the tournament some might have thought wrote The Da Vinci Code, faded away as did West Ham supporter Billy Horshel who had led on the third day.
He won’t be too worried as he belongs to that group of American golfers who has never won a Major but made a fortune by being around for the weekend.
The appalling conditions of rain and wind were not conducive to a compelling major but Schauffele stayed steady and plotted his way around the course.
I backed Matsuyama, Morikawa and Rahm “each way” and the latter finished within the top ten to rescue me.
It’s always a difficult tourney at which to guess a winner as the weather conditions and tee times play such a determining factor. Nonetheless Steve Palmer on The Racing Post was spot on Schauffele (12-1) and also picked out Shane Lowry. No one picked Justin Rose, nor Russell Henley nor Dan Brown.
Americans have won 3 of the last 4 – Schauffele, Brian Harman, Colin Morikawa – which is a good nod to tradition as the modern status of the Open owes much to Arnold Palmer coming over in the 1960s.
Before him Peter Thomson won it 5 times and Kiwi Kel Nagle.
Now it’s a truly international field and the last Englishman to dominate was Sir Nick Faldo 32 years ago.
So all 4 Majors are now completed and each won by an American golfer.