Xander Schauffele Joins Jack Nicklaus In Exclusive Club After Open Championship Victory

Xander Schauffele entered 2024 in search of his first major title, and he has achieved that and more. With victories at May’s PGA Championship at Valhalla and this week’s Open Championship at Royal Troon, Schauffele now has two major titles to his name. His exceptional form suggests that more major victories could be on the horizon in 2025.

At the 152nd Open Championship, Schauffele posted an impressive final-round 65, finishing at 9-under par on Sunday. This score proved unbeatable, securing Schauffele his first Claret Jug. His remarkable performance at Royal Troon, while not a record-breaking low in major championship history, places him in exclusive company alongside Jack Nicklaus.

According to The Athletic’s Justin Ray, Schauffele and Nicklaus are the only players in history to shoot 65 or lower in the final round to win a major more than once in their careers. With Sunday’s 65 at Royal Troon, Schauffele also became the first player to accomplish this feat twice in the same season.

“The only player to shoot 65 or lower in the final round to win a major more than once in their career is Jack Nicklaus,” Ray posted on X. “Nobody has done it twice in the same season. Xander Schauffele could become the first.”

Schauffele’s consistency throughout 2024 has been remarkable. He finished better than T8 in all four majors, with an 8th place finish at The Masters and a T7 at June’s U.S. Open, alongside his victories at Valhalla and Royal Troon.

What a year it has been for Xander Schauffele.