Schauffele wins Scottish Open, 4th victory in the last year
NORTH BERWICK, Scotland (AP) — Xander Schauffele keeps making up for lost time.
Winless for more than two years, Schauffele picked up his fourth win in the last 12 months Sunday when he overcame a rough patch in the middle of his round with two key birdies and a par save for an even-par 70 to win the Scottish Open.
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Next up is another test on Scottish soil, this one the purest of all, the British Open at St. Andrews. Schauffele heads to the home of golf as among the hottest players in the world.
It was the first time the PGA Tour co-sanctioned a European tour event.
“It’s just an honor to win the first one,” said Schauffele, who now has seven career titles on the PGA Tour.
His 8-foot par save on the par-3 17th at The Renaissance Club gave him a two-shot lead, and the 28-year-old from San Diego played it smartly from there. He took iron off the 18th tee to avoid trouble and wound up missing an 8-foot par that only affected the margin.
Schauffele finished at 7-under 273, one shot ahead of Kurt Kitayama (66).
Kitayama had a one-shot lead on the back nine and was still tied until missing a 6-foot par putt on the 17th hole and then having to wait to see if his score would be enough.
The consolation for Kitayama was earning of three spots in the field at the British Open, his third straight time at golf’s oldest championship. The other two spots went to Brandon Wu and Jamie Donaldson, who tied for sixth.
So many others had a chance to earn a spot at St. Andrews. Rickie Fowler has played every British Open since 2010 and came into the final round of the Scottish Open within range. But he closed with a 75 and was headed back home across the Atlantic.
Ryan Palmer also was in position until playing the back nine with two bogeys and no birdies and missing out by two shots. It was tougher for Alex Smalley, who only needed a par on the 18th to earn a spot. He made bogey.
It wasn’t easy for Schauffele, either.
He started the final round with a two-shot lead and birdied the opening two holes. He was four shots ahead after five holes. And when he reached the back nine, he was one shot behind.
“This was stressful,” Schauffele said. “I’m not going to put makeup on the pig here. It was a very average day, probably my worst stuff this week. You can’t get ahead of yourself in links golf. I was ahead, behind, ahead, behind. I just kept my head down.”
Mullinax birdies final hole to win Barbasol
NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Trey Mullinax won the rain-delayed Barbasol Championship on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title, holing a 15-foot putt from the edge of the 18th green to beat Kevin Streelman by a stroke.
The 30-year-old Mullinax followed the breakthrough putt with a celebratory fist pump and scream. He played 33 holes Sunday, competing a 5-under 67 in the delayed third round and following with a 66 to finish at 25-under 263.
“I stayed focused for 72 holes,” Mullinax said. “I missed a couple of opportunities with the putter and just told myself to keep putting, been putting great. Been hitting my irons beautifully all week, probably the strongest part of my game. I knew I was going to have that shot a couple of times, and I hit a great shot at the right time.”
Streelman’s hope of forcing a playoff ended when his 9-foot birdie putt rolled right. He settled for par and a 67.
“I’m frustrated I hit two incredible shots there the last two holes and hit two good putts,” Streelman said. “One of them went, one of them didn’t.”
Mullinax earned the last spot in the British Open at St. Andrews, with that tournament starting Thursday.
The former Alabama player also gets spots in the 2023 PGA Championship and Sentry Tournament of Champions.
It marked the Barbasol Championship’s sixth consecutive close finish determined by one shot or in a playoff. Mullinax earned his title in his 105th PGA Tour start, overcoming bogeys on the par-5 sixth and par-3 ninth holes to finish with three birdies on the backside and eight overall.
Mark Hubbard was third at 22 under after a 65. Hurly Long (71) was 21 under.
Mullinax and Streelman were deadlocked for several holes before Streelman fell a shot back with a bogey on the par-3 16th. Streelman quickly made it up with a birdie on 17, converting a 9-footer.
After two days of rain delays that carried rounds over to the next morning, players finally had perfect weather in central Kentucky.
At the same time, that meant a long Sunday with much of the field first having to complete the bulk of a third round suspended by darkness before regrouping for the final 18 holes.