Xander Schauffele secured victory at the Open Championship with a one-shot lead on Sunday following a final-round 65 at Royal Troon. Phil Mickelson was one of the first to respond to the news.
Phil Mickelson used social media to extend his congratulations to Xander Schauffele for his exciting win at the Open Championship.
Schauffele played an impeccable final round of six-under 65 at Royal Troon on Sunday, clinching his second major title of the year. He narrowly beat Justin Rose and Billy Horschel to claim the Claret Jug. Schauffele now stands alongside Jack Nicklaus as one of the only two players to have won multiple major championships with final rounds of 65 or better.
Shortly after Schauffele was named Champion Golfer of The Year, Mickelson shared a thoughtful message on social media for his fellow American. He tweeted: “Wow, @XSchauffele put on a show! A final round 65 with -4 on the challenging back 9 to clinch The Open and earn the CGOTY title is truly remarkable. Well done, what a year, keep it going in Paris too!”
Rose, who ended the tournament tied for second place with Horschel, also praised Schauffele for his impressive performance. “Well done Xander…. A two-time major champion and well-deserved,” he commented.
I felt I conducted myself well and made a strong effort today and throughout the entire week. After each round, I left the 18th hole feeling satisfied with what I accomplished. I appreciate the support from everyone. It’s very meaningful to me! The dream of winning the championship is still within reach!
Schauffele, holding the Claret Jug, conveyed his appreciation to Mickelson for being an inspiration in his victory at the Open Championship. The 30-year-old golf prodigy confessed to studying Mickelson’s epic duel with Stenson at the 2016 Open in order to adopt a winning mentality.
It’s such an honor for me. To hear them announce your name as ‘Open champion’ is truly a dream come true,” he revealed. “I used to watch Phil [Mickelson] and Henrik [Stenson] in 2016 to inspire myself. Looks like that strategy worked out pretty well!”
Schauffele attributed his win on Sunday to an unparalleled sense of tranquility he felt during the last round. “There’s a sense of calm and extremely stressful moments when you’re vying for a major championship,” he added.
I have experienced failures in the past, and they used to affect me greatly. However, today I managed to handle challenges better.
It was a tough battle, filled with obstacles. Overcoming the first challenge definitely boosted my confidence on the back nine today. I felt a sense of peace wash over me, which proved to be invaluable during one of the most challenging back nines I have ever faced in a tournament.
Winning two majors in one year is like a dream come true for me. It was such a long journey to win just one, so having two now is truly amazing.
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