Open Sunday: How Xander Schauffele went from major-less to a two-time winner | Golf Channel Podcast

In this edition, the guys offer their final takeaways from The Open, from Xander Schauffele's stirring 65 to win, Justin Rose's valiant effort, Royal Troon's worthiness as a venue and Rory McIlroy's lost week. #GolfChannel #TheOpen #Golf
Chapters:
0:00: Breaking down what Xander Schauffele said was the best round of his life
05:00: Schauffele's major transformation over the past few months
13:00: How the 2024 major performances color our views of the entire season
18:30: Eight years after the Stenson/Mickelson duel, Royal Troon shines again
25:30: Justin Rose turns back the clock with T-2 finish
30:00: What we'll most remember from the week at Royal Troon
38:00: A guest co-host coming on Wednesday: Todd Lewis!
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Open Sunday: How Xander Schauffele went from major-less to a two-time winner | Golf Channel Podcast
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[@Handletaken4]

DJ, Rahm, and the rest of the Meadowlark Lemon League golfers are history. Exhibition golf in calm winds on 6700 resort tracks isn't championship golf.

[@jimiverson3085]

Rose and Horschel definitely have nothing to be ashamed about. But I can see how the result would be hard emotionally - they played really good rounds, didn't give the tournament away, but lost in the end. When your best isn't good enough, that has to be tough. McIlroy really needs to think hard about what he needs to change. Is he really being well served by Harry Diamond as his caddy, or does he need a better strategic consultant on the bag? Does he have the shots he needs to be a contender at the events that matter? Has he been making tactical mistakes in his play (trying to hit cuts under pressure at Pinehurst when his go-to shot is a draw)? He can't keep running out what he is doing and expect to be top dog in the big events.

[@tomdallas3690]

Horschel is not elite. That's the bottom line. Rose had a chance and has a little heartbreak, as a number of puts just missed in the final nine. Horschel was saying yesterday that he's like to win more than one major.....a bit delusional. Odds are low Billy ever gets in this position again, not that he blew it. He was never below 4 to 1 to win heading into the final round. Maybe he was 2-5 oe 3 to 1 to win when he got to 6 under. But he was always an unlikely winner.

[@edwardcreighton2638]

Golf at the top level is exceptionally small differences between the players. Congrats to Xander. Great mini pod, as usual.

[@renscience]

Congrats Xander. Love your swing. Great demeanor. Real gentleman

[@davidbrims5825]

There’s also the Dunhill Cup in October played over 3 links courses, St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie. Billy Horschel plays in it every year, a couple of years ago the weather was so bad it was biblical, a complete deluge.

[@jimiverson3085]

Don't know about player of the year, but for "player of the majors," it has to be Schauffle. The other two candidates (Scheffler and DeChambeau) each had one throw-away tournament in a major - Pinehurst for Scheffler and this week for DeChambeau. Schauffle won 2 and was top-10 in the other two.

[@wreckim]

Bryson is the best player in the world period. He might even be the best player that's ever hit a golf ball. One visit to his youtube channel and you'd find out. But your Leftie bias won't let you.

[@shukigkato]

@@wreckim Bryson just MC'd at the Open. I like him too but one major win certainly doesn't eclipse either Xander or Scheffler's seasons.

[@Richard-d1u5s]

I love Bryson but he is the 3rd best golfer in the world not number 1

[@wbwright79]

is it a coincidence that the only 2 winners of the Olympics Golf Gold medals ever, were sitting in the scorers tent at the end of the tournament. Justin had an exchange with X, and i would be willing to bet it was something about that. the Olympics, Ryder cup, and Majors all figured into both of their choices to stay with PGA; and both for different reasons.

[@tomdallas3690]

Rory doesn't need to do anything really. He was just a skulled bunker shot from Bryson away from a win, plus if he makes the putt at the last he might win because Bryson had yet to hit his second shot on 18 when Mcilroy missed. Rory was a decent favorite to win with a few holes to go. So, that is back to back US Opens where he got second. The year before last he led in the final round of the British Open. I'm no fan of his, but there is some randomness to it. He just has to do it. It is not like anyone can teach him how to hit short irons, which is his nemesis. He will either get there or not as is.

[@mgh3380]

I think Olympics will soon have major status. It already does in my mind. When u consider how few gold medals for golf are given out, and what it would do for a smaller country to win it, it's a major.

[@SiLoMixMaster]

I've been saying this since Rose won in 2016 but the brainwashed sheep didn't want to hear it. Olympic Gold is only winnable once every 4 years, a green jacket and claret jug can be won every year. In tennis Djokovic has 20+ grand slams....but he has zero gold medals - this year will be his last chance.

[@1362pc]

Thats just not practical...too many great players will miss selections

[@jimmyvespegolf3834]

Rory’s swing produces a two way miss. If people don’t know the physics of it then they won’t be able to comment accurately on this. Needs to fix that to win when the pressure is greatest which for him is the majors.

[@wbwright79]

people forget about the Players championship. Scottie won, but Xander probably should have. thats when i started watching Xander, because in my opinion i think he has had his eye on the Olympics all year long. And has kept working hard towards this goal. and the majors are just by products of being in great form. no one asked him that yesterday after the win either.

[@alexandermiller8909]

I think if you asked him Xander cares much more about the majors than the Olympics. I’m sure he is looking forward to defending his gold medal, but I doubt the Olympics has been top of his mind all year.

[@shukigkato]

Scottie Scheffler has 6 wins including a major and the Players and 10 top 5s out of just 16 events. His unadjusted scoring average is a staggering 67.97 which is 0.6 strokes lower than the next best Xander and would be the lowest of all time if his season ended right now. Xander can still make things interesting for the remainder of the year, but at the moment Scottie is clearly the leader.

[@alexbrown1170]

Great stuff guys. Scottie just needs to stop steering his puts and leaving 4’’s for par. His melon is off. Putting gears are much different from any other stroke. Zander is #1

[@1362pc]

Maybe Scottie is not the superstar the US golf press portrays him to be...

[@SiLoMixMaster]

Muirfield hasn't been on the Open rota since 2016..... 'After a May 2016 vote on the policy reached a majority, but not the two-thirds supermajority required for change, the R&A removed Muirfield from the rotation of Open venues.'

[@shankedit65]

Xcellent performance by the X man

[@Nadia_Milkova]

Organize an 18 hole Scottie vs Xander youtube match for _player of the year_ title from Pine Valley.

[@phillippettit2138]

I will watch 🤓

[@alexandermiller8909]

I wish so badly that this was a thing. Shell apparently used to stage 1 v 1 Wonderful World of Golf matches at elite courses. Would be so cool to see the best players in the world play some of the very best courses that are not able to host a major for whatever reason.

[@1362pc]

The corrupt PGAT will select who they want to be POY...for 2023 Rahm was clearly the POT but PGAT made a corrupt decision

[@SiLoMixMaster]

The diddy events Scheffler has won have been on a weakened PGA Tour (most of the top dogs are on LIV now) and the 2 majors Xander won have been events EVERYONE wanted to win with the STRONGEST FIELDS......the 2 are incomparable really. Scheffler wins more 'warm up' events but Xander wins 2 'big boy' major events. Xander is the better player. Comparing Scheffler's season to Arnold Palmer's is also lazy journalism at best - Arnold played against all of the best players in the diddy events - there was no LIV split. The Players has been irrelevant since Cam Smith won in 2022 as well, wasn't even given the chance to defend it in 23.

[@laronda10]

Feels like there is no consensus world number 1 I think it's genuine 3 way tie rn

[@1362pc]

The corrupt OWGR are no longer relevant

[@azapro911]

Player of the year has always previously gone to a multiple major winner (when there is one) regardless of regular tour form, so there's no excuse for denying Schauffele and wrongly giving it to 'Ned Flanders' for the second year running.

[@tomdallas3690]

Justin Rose is a borderline Hall of Fame candidate. That is one of the reasons he didn't go to LIV. I mean, Dustin Johnson took the money, but he's a lock for the Hall of Fame. Rahm is a Hall of famer with two majors. Koepka a Hall of Famer. That is a big deal. Cam Smith still young enough to make the Hall of Fame as eventually the tours will unite. Justin Rose was simply acting in his best interest, which in his mind, is his legacy in golf history. If he already had two majors, which would have all but guaranteed the Hall of Fame, he just may have gone to LIV. Those who went to LIV really didn't give up as much as people thought. I think Talor Gooch hurt himself a ton, as he essentially did an exchange of career for cash. Niemann still way too young to lose to much legacy-wise. It seems like Rahm has regrets.

[@P_Sandhu]

I agree about Gooch and Niemann

[@braydenboyko8525]

By winning two majors

[@joenolan4917]

Players champ just doesn’t hold the clout it used to. Xander has two majors and Scottie has one. So it’s tough to put Scottie above xander for mvp imo

[@SiLoMixMaster]

Rex needs to apologise for the Scheffler overhype and for constantly comparing him to prime Tiger Woods. Lazy journalism at best. Xander and Bry58n have outperformed Scheffler at majors and that 3 putt inside 6 feet on the 9th and the top into the rough on 18 that didn't even reach the ladies tees was so embarrassing that it has casual golf fans saying 'if Scottie Scheffler is the world number 1 then golf really is in a sorry state' 🤣

[@1362pc]

Xander is a class player with two majors....better than Scottie....

[@gzman1]

10 other guys from liv

[@blessembreaks]

And here i thought Chris Cuomo was just a former bum CNN anchor

[@lauriemorgan9083]

NO player had 2 great rounds in row. Xander had his great round on day 4. Leaders always struggle on day 4 ,do we play safe or attact, most play safe .

[@golfbbqandwatches]

Guinness from Ireland out of the Claret Jug. Good call Rex 🤌🏻. There is nothing quite like a pint of Guinness from a good boozer in Ireland.