Open winner Xander Schauffele makes 11-word comment after claim from Justin Rose’s caddie
Xander Schauffele became a two-time major champion with his victory at The Open Championship, though he was hesitant to fully accept Mark Fulcher’s high praise. Schauffele humbly dismissed commendation from Justin Rose’s caddie with an 11-word response after his triumph at The Open. On Sunday, he claimed his second major title, adding to his PGA…
Xander Schauffele became a two-time major champion with his victory at The Open Championship, though he was hesitant to fully accept Mark Fulcher’s high praise.
Schauffele humbly dismissed commendation from Justin Rose’s caddie with an 11-word response after his triumph at The Open. On Sunday, he claimed his second major title, adding to his PGA Championship win in May. This victory at Royal Troon also boosted him to second in the world rankings, surpassing Rory McIlroy following McIlroy’s underwhelming performance. At 30, Schauffele has been a standout on the PGA Tour and now has the titles to validate his status.
After an impressive Sunday performance that brought him to nine-under-par, he received accolades from Mark Fulcher, who witnessed Schauffele’s final round while Rose vied for the lead, eventually finishing two strokes behind.
“He’s clearly one of the best golfers of his generation,” remarked Fulcher, a seasoned professional with over two decades in the sport. “It took some time for him to reach this point. He’s genuinely nice, too. You’d almost wish he’d be a bit of a jerk, but he’s just a lovely guy. It’s reassuring to know he’s top class.”
When asked if he agreed with Fulcher’s assessment, Schauffele deflected. “Pretty much that’s you guys’ job to speculate on those things,” he told reporters, as per the Mirror. “I’m just trying to win as many of these things as I can, play the best golf I can, and be a decent guy. So I’ll let you ponder that one.”
Schauffele described his final-round 65 at The 152nd Open as the best of his career. Previously known for his close calls, with 12 top-10 finishes in majors without a win, he broke that streak earlier this year at Valhalla.
“Winning the first one helped me a lot today on the back nine,” he said. “I felt a sense of calmness, which was very helpful on what has been one of the hardest back nines I’ve ever played in a tournament. It’s a dream come true to win two majors in one year. It took me forever just to win one, so to have two now is something else. There are super stressful moments when you’re trying to win a major championship. I’ve felt them in the past, in the ones I didn’t win, and I let them get to me.”
Schauffele now has his sights set on a career Grand Slam. He is the first player since Jordan Spieth in 2015 to secure his first two major wins in the same season. Additionally, it marks the first time since 1982 that Americans have swept all four majors in a single year, with Scottie Scheffler winning the Masters and Bryson DeChambeau claiming the US Open.
