Genesis Scottish Open: Xander Schauffele holds on for narrow victory at The Renaissance Club
The event was co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour for the first time, with Schauffele prevailing after a level-par 70 on the final day; Kurt Kitayama, Brandon Wu and Jamie Donaldson booked places in The Open via the Open Qualifying Series
Last Updated: 11/07/22 6:04am
Xander Schauffele survived a final-round scare to claim a second successive PGA Tour victory with a one-shot victory at the Genesis Scottish Open.
Schauffele came through an eventful final day at The Renaissance Club to top a congested leaderboard, with a level-par 70 enough to end the week on seven under and hold off compatriot Kurt Kitayama.
The Olympic gold medallist, who won the Travelers Championship last month and was also victorious in the JP McManus Pro-Am earlier this week, took a two-shot lead into the final day and quickly doubled his advantage with birdies on both his opening two holes.
Schauffele went from sand to sand on his way to bogeying the sixth and failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker to save par at the next, with another dropped shot at the ninth seeing him reach the turn a shot behind Kitayama.
Kitayama bogeyed his penultimate hole but saved par at the last at six under, while Schauffele edged back ahead with a birdie at the 14th and two-putt gain at the par-five 16th to leave himself the luxury of securing victory with a final-hole bogey.
"Yeah, it's stressful," Schauffele said. "Not going to put makeup on the pig here, it was a very average day and probably my worst this week. You really can't get ahead of yourself in links golf, I was ahead, I was behind, I was ahead, I was behind. Just kept my head down."
A runner-up finish for Kitayama earned him one of three spots for The 150th Open via the Open Qualifying Series, given to the leading players in the top-10 not already exempt, with Brandon Wu and Jamie Donaldson securing the other two-last minute invites after finishing in a share of sixth.
Joohyung Kim finished in third place ahead of Patrick Cantlay and Tommy Fleetwood, while US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick and first-round leader Cameron Tringale ended the week four strokes back alongside Wu and Donaldson in tied-sixth.
Jordan Spieth made a double-bogey and three bogeys on his back nine during a closing 72, slipping him back into the share of tenth also containing Cameron Smith, while Max Homa dropped out of contention with a one-over 71.
When is The Open on Sky Sports?
Sky Sports The Open will show over 80 hours of live coverage from the iconic Old Course at St Andrews, more than ever before, with live programming on all seven days of tournament week and a host of bonus extra features available to enjoy.
Live coverage from the opening two rounds will begin at 6.30am - before the opening tee shot - and run through until after play is finished, with wall-to-wall coverage live from 9am on Saturday and 8am for Sunday's final round.
There will be lots of extra action throughout all four days via the red button on Sky Sports The Open, along with Sky Q and Sky Glass, with Featured Groups and Featured Holes available to enjoy as the world's best players tackle the Home of Golf.
Watch The 150th Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports' dedicated channel. Live coverage begins on Monday with "Live From The Range" at 9am on Sky Sports The Open!
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