July 28, 2024
Xander makes the next step towards greatness!
What you saw last week was a master professional golfer flawlessly executing an ever-changing plan to capture the Open Championship at Royal Troon. Xander Schauffele was boring and excellent in the same way that Ben Hogan dissected a golf course and a championship. Discipline and a strong will are needed to withstand the temptations to go off script and try something that the golf course wasn't offering. Xander's last round was brilliant in that he matriculated through Troon's looming possible disasters in a way that made them irrelevant. His first three rounds were equally impressive, with him sticking to his game plan and taking into account the possible strong winds and odd bounces that a Scottish links golf course is known for.
Xander's incoming, four under par 31, was a nine-hole masterpiece of golf shotmaking. Add that to the pressure of the moment and you have a story that critics should hail as one of the best clutch performances in recent Open Championships. When Ben Hogan won his only appearance at the British Open in 1953, he awed the Scottish spectators with his icy stare and unwavering concentration. His ball striking was calculating and precise. In today's game, Xander Schauffele is the closest player to the Ben Hogan model. His conquest of Royal Troon and victory would've made Ben Hogan proud.
Xander needed every bit of mastery the last day, because both Justin Rose and Billy Horschel played last rounds that were worthy of a championship trophy. Horschel slept on the 54 hole lead and went out and shot a three under 68. Every round could be a little bit better, but given the high tension, I think Billy gave it everything he had, but this day one person was just better. Winning a national championship in your home country is a big deal, but a Brit winning the Open Championship is the ultimate prize for someone like Justin Rose. He had the Claret Jug in his sight and he didn't want this chance to escape him. When you give it your all and don't succeed, you can feel disappointed, but knowing you did your best can never be failure. Justin was outstanding fashioning a four under par 67. That's Open championship golf at it's best, but it wasn't enough. I hope he gets another opportunity.
I have played Royal Troon ten times. I've played it in all kinds of conditions, but never with the wind blowing from the south. The first six holes at Troon are, in my opinion, the easiest six-hole stretch on any championship caliber golf course. However, with winds blowing at 30 miles per hour, each hole became a monster. Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Bryson DeChambeau, and Viktor Hovland all played themselves out of the championship on the opening holes. Justin Thomas was one of the leaders after the first round and then the next day went out and shot a nine over 45 on the front nine. That's a mystery, but kudos to him to bring it back in 33 on the backnine just to make the cut. A solid 67 the third round put him back at even par and only four shots out of the lead. I'm sure Justin felt he had a chance with 18 holes to play. Now that he played himself back in the tournament, it was time to deliver a clutch performance. Instead on the first tee shot that last day, he hit his drive out-of-bounds! Personally, I didn't know there was OB on the first hole. It must have gone 40 yards right of target. I'm sorry for Justin, but I'm sure there is a lot of soul searching to answer how a worldclass player can shoot 9 over in 9 holes when playing well and then hit an opening tee shot so far right when in contention to play himself out of the tournament.
Win one major championship and it's a great accomplishment, but win two and you go into another category. Xander, like many other potential great players, needed to get over the hump and learn to win a major. Winning number two validates what has been said about him in the past. Clearly there are two currant players that are separating themselves from the field. Now that Xander has found the formula, it will be interesting to see how far he can take it.
