Golf
2024 Golf Majors recapped
With The Open Championship drawing to a close last weekend, we now have all four Majors behind us.
We take a look back at this year’s Majors and their winners below.
The Masters – Scottie Scheffler
Scheffler secured the Masters title by a margin of four strokes, earning his second green jacket in three years. He joins Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to have won the Players Championship twice as well as two green jackets as well as being the fourth-youngest golfer to win the Masters twice.
The four golfers in the last two groups — Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Max Homa, and Ludvig Åberg — were all tied at six-under par at one stage on the front nine during the final round, so spectators were gearing up for an all-time classic.
Standing on the fairway of the ninth hole, Scheffler delivered a ridiculously dialled shot just above the flagstick from 89 yards away and spinning back to six inches from the hole. He settled for a birdie and took the lead at eight-under. Scheffler then birdied the par-four 10th, a hole he had double-bogeyed on Saturday, extending his lead to two strokes over Åberg and Homa.
From that point onwards Scheffler added birdies on holes 13, 14, and 16, leaving the rest of the field unable to catch up with the green jacket firmly in his sights. Åberg finished second (seven-under) in his first Masters appearance, followed by Morikawa, Homa, and Tommy Fleetwood (tied at four-under).
Since then, Scheffler has won the RBC Heritage, Memorial Tournament and Travelers Championship all in the space of three months.
PGA Championship – Xander Schauffele
Xander Schauffele finally struck gold in May, sinking a crucial six-foot putt for birdie on the final hole to win the PGA Championship, marking his first major victory with the lowest score in Major championship history.
Throughout the back nine on the final day, Schauffele faced significant challenges. Mud on his ball on two key holes prevented him from going for the flag. His drive on the 17th landed in a bunker, necessitating a skilful par save to stay tied with DeChambeau, who had already completed his round.
With his feet planted in the sand, Schauffele gripped his four-iron and aimed right, hoping for the best. He executed a superb shot, landing 35 yards short but in a good position. A deft chip to six feet gave him a golden opportunity to clinch the title.
The decisive putt broke slightly left, catching the edge of the cup before dropping in. Schauffele, known for his calm demeanour, raised his arms in triumph and shared a jubilant hug with his caddie, Austin Kaiser, who was also his college teammate at San Diego State.
Schauffele wrapped up the tournament with a remarkable six-under 65, edging out Bryson DeChambeau, who also delivered a thrilling performance by making a ten-foot birdie on the par-five 18th for a 64.
Starting the championship with a record-tying 62, Schauffele finished at 21-under 263, surpassing the previous Major scoring record by one shot, a record shared by Brooks Koepka in the 2018 PGA Championship at Bellerive and Henrik Stenson in the 2016 Open Championship at Royal Troon.
US Open – Bryson DeChambeau
American golfer Bryson DeChambeau claimed his second US Open title in June, narrowly defeating Rory McIlroy in a gripping conclusion at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina.
Representing LIV Golf, DeChambeau finished with a one-over 71 in the final round, securing a six-under overall and finishing just one stroke ahead of his Northern Irish rival. This victory adds to DeChambeau’s first Major win in 2020.
World number three McIlroy experienced another agonising close call, extending his ten-year wait for a fifth Major title. The 35-year-old showcased impressive play, overcoming a three-shot deficit to lead by two shots ahead of DeChambeau, only to miss two crucial putts from within four feet on the final two holes.
DeChambeau needed a par on 18 to clinch the victory. He managed to maintain his composure with an astounding bunker shot and holing his putt to put to rest the disappointment of narrowly missing the PGA Championship title to fellow American Xander Schauffele the month prior.
The Open Championship – Xander Schauffele
Xander Schauffele catapulted to the forefront of the field with an impressive run of four birdies over six holes, ultimately securing a two-stroke victory at the 152nd British Open held at Royal Troon.
On the back nine, Schauffele surpassed the little-known South African Thriston Lawrence while several contenders vied for the title during an unpredictable final round. Schauffele’s consistent performance and pinpoint iron shots proved decisive, as he successfully hit 16 out of 18 greens in regulation.
Justin Rose of England, who initially took the lead in the final round, posted a commendable four-under 67, finishing in a tie for second place. Billy Horschel, the leader after three rounds, closed with birdies on his last three holes to join Rose at seven-under. Lawrence ended in fourth place, trailing by three strokes.
Schauffele’s victory, alongside Scottie Scheffler’s Masters win and Bryson DeChambeau’s U.S. Open triumph, marked a clean sweep of the four Major championships by American golfers for the first time since 1982.
