Xander Schauffele wins the Open Championship as Shane Lowry finishes sixth

Lowry finished in the top 10.

Shane Lowry, despite a strong start, recorded his second top-10 major finish of the year, ending the tournament at -4.

Halfway leader Lowry struggled in Saturday’s heavy rain at Royal Troon, posting a +6 round, which placed him three shots behind -4 Billy Horschel heading into the final day.

“It was pretty hard. It was a tough evening, sat around the club here for a while, went home pretty late,” the Irishman said about his challenging third round.

Nine players, including Lowry at -1, entered the final round under par. Horschel's nearest challengers were Justin Rose, Sam Burns, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, and Thriston Lawrence, all at -3.

Lowry, paired with Adam Scott, made an impressive comeback with four birdies in five holes on the front nine, shooting -3.

Horschel started strong, playing the first six holes in -2 but fell victim to the infamous Postage Stamp eighth hole.

His partner, Lawrence, shot a -4 front nine, while Rose aimed to become the first English winner since Nick Faldo in 1992, reaching -6 with a brilliant -3 front nine.

Scottie Scheffler's challenge faded after carding two sixes in four holes, leaving him at -2.

Schauffele, at -5, gained momentum with extraordinary shots at the 11th, 13th, and 14th holes, propelling him to the lead at -8. His sixth birdie of the day on the 16th secured his position at -9.

Schauffele's exceptional round of 65 ensured his victory, making him only the second golfer since Rory McIlroy in 2014 to win both The Open and PGA Championship in the same year.

“I feel very honoured. Hearing your name called with 'Open Champion' right after is something I’ve dreamt of for a very long time,” said Schauffele.

Horschel and Rose finished tied for second at -7 after late birdies. Lawrence and Henley impressed, both securing top-five finishes. Lowry, with a late birdie at 17, finished sixth at -4.

“I had a great chance of winning this Open, and it’s going to hurt for a few days. But onwards and upwards and onto the Olympics and try to win a medal for Ireland,” Lowry remarked.

Royal Troon proved challenging, with only 10 players finishing under par, including Jon Rahm, Scheffler, and Sungjae Im at -1.

The dominance of American golfers continued in 2024, with all major titles, including the Masters, PGA Championship, US Open, and The Open, being won by Americans.