Stats

British Open 2024: This stat shows Xander Schauffele kicked everyone's butt in the majors this year (even Scottie Scheffler)

By Alex Myers

July 21, 2024

Harry How

Xander Schauffele's second major championship of 2024 suddenly, maybe has started an unexpected debate for who the PGA Tour Player of the Year is. But there's no debate who was the best player in the year's four major championships.

As he did in May to win the PGA Championship, Schauffele shot a final-round 65 to win the Open Championship. And while he's certainly happy to have the Wanamaker Trophy and claret jug at his home, he also deserves another award for his overall performance in those four events.

Schauffele's nine-under-par total at Royal Troon took his cumulative score in the four majors to 32 under. That put him 15 shots ahead of World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who appeared to be a lock for POY before Schauffele won two of the season's final three majors.

Here's a look at the standings of the 13 players who made the cut at all four majors, courtesy of Bunkered's Michael McEwan:

That's a good old-fashioned butt-kicking right there by Xander. And shout-out to Collin Morikawa for finishing third. Although, that might actually make him feel worse that he didn't win any of them.

Anyway, the POY debate will have to wait. In the meantime, Xander Schauffele is not only the Champion Golfer of the Year, but the Major Golfer of the Year.

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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.