Xander Schauffele Wins Second Straight Tournament Before Open Championship
Xander Schauffele’s victory at the Scottish Open on Sunday marked his third straight win in his last three events, and his fourth victory in the last 12 months. Needless to say, Schauffele is heating up at the right time with The Open Championship coming up this weekend at the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland. Though The Open will be a much bigger challenge, Schauffele is playing his best game and proving he has what it takes to contend ahead of a major.
The Scottish Open was a weekend of wild ups and downs for Schauffele. On Saturday, he bogeyed his final two holes, dropping two strokes going into Sunday. He carded a 66 on Saturday, finishing four under on the round. Though Schauffele still held a two-stroke lead after his round on Saturday, his final two holes allowed competitors back in as Sunday approached.
On Sunday, Schauffele started strong, birdieing his first two holes and further padding his lead. However, the tide changed again for Schauffele, as he bogeyed three of the four last holes on the front nine. Going into the back nine, Kurt Kitayama and Joohyung Kim shared the lead with Schauffele while Patrick Cantlay, Tommy Fleetwood, and Jordan Spieth made a push of their own.
But then, Schauffele worked the magic once again with two more birdies on the back nine, reclaiming his two shot lead. Though he bogeyed number 18, he still emerged victorious with a one shot win (-7) over Kurt Kitayama.
All eyes are on Schauffele this weekend as he prepares to tee up in golf’s oldest major, facing tough competition.
Watch: Schauffele Wins Scottish Open
Additional Storylines
Golf.com: 3 Weeks, 3 Countries, 3 Wins: Schauffele Shines at Scottish Open
SI: British Open Bettors’ Roundtable: Experts Pick Favorites, Sleepers & Best Bets
