British Open 2024: Troon's low amateur keeps perfect an incredibly quirky streak

TROON, Scotland — It doesn’t happen every year, but it has on 20 occasions in the last 75 years. As was the case when the British Open last visited Royal Troon in 2016, occasionally none of the competing amateurs make it through the halfway cut. Which is always a pity. Only adding to the already enduring charm of the prize-giving at golf’s oldest major, where the “champion golfer of the year” receives the claret jug, is the awarding of a silver medal to the member of the “playing for pride” contingent who shoots the lowest 72-hole score.

This time it came to pass though, at the end of what was an unusually crowded contest. Beginning with a 12-strong field (the most since 13 amateurs qualified for the 1987 Open at Muirfield), a four-way race to the line was still in play on the final day.

Step forward Calum Scott. With a 72-hole aggregate of eight-over 292, good enough to finish T-43 alongside the likes of Brooks Koepka and Max Homa, the 20-year-old Walker Cup player from Nairn in the Scottish Highlands became the ninth player from his country to win the silver medal. Remarkably, too, all nine have claimed the coveted prize in Scotland, with three of those—Charlie Green in 1962, Barclay Howard in 1997 and Stuart Wilson in 2004—triumphing at Royal Troon.

Anyway, Scott was eventually a comfortable enough winner of what was a cosmopolitan contest, seeing off American Tommy Morrison (11 over), Jacob Skov Olesen from Denmark (11 over) and Spaniard Luis Masaveu (18 over). The trio will have the consolation of receiving a bronze medal.

For all that he stumbled a little on Royal Troon’s notoriously difficult back nine, Scott, a Sports Management student at Texas Tech, did enough to impress his playing partner, Matteo Manassero.

“Calum is a very modern player,” said the Italian, winner of the silver medal at Turnberry in 2009. “He hits it really far. He's very quick, very instinctive. The amateur world now has really gone up. If you are contending at the highest level there it means you can do something with us too. Calum has a good skill set to do well in professional golf for sure.”

Still, perhaps the most satisfying aspect of victory for Scott will be seeing off the challenge of Olesen. Last month at the British Amateur, Scott was 2 up against the Dane with four holes to play in their quarterfinal match at Ballyliffin in Ireland. Three holes on, however, Scott was 1 down and, a half at the 18th left him heading home while Olesen went on to claim the title. Similarly, last week at the European Amateur Team Championship in Italy, the pair clashed again, Olesen emerging the winner (6 and 5) as he and his teammates beat the Scots 3½-1½ .

“I obviously needed some revenge,” said Scott with a smile at the end of his closing 76. “No, he's a good player. I'm just happy to have won. This is one of the highest honors I think you can win as an amateur. I'm very proud of myself. And to compete in a tournament like The Open is just amazing. It's just a really cool accolade to have, I think, to join some big names.”

First awarded in 1949 to American Frank Stranahan (an eventual four-time winner), the silver medal has since been presented to a host of golf’s stars, future major champions Hal Sutton, Jose Maria Olazabal, Tiger Woods, Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick amongst them. McIlroy and Woods are the only players to have won both the silver medal and the claret jug.

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Is it the British Open or the Open Championship? The name of the final men’s major of the golf season is a subject of continued discussion. The event’s official name, as explained in this op-ed by former R&A chairman Ian Pattinson, is the Open Championship. But since many United States golf fans continue to refer to it as the British Open, and search news around the event accordingly, Golf Digest continues to utilize both names in its coverage.

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