Xander Schauffele's victory at the 152nd Open, the first American to sweep all four men's golf majors this year, raised expectations that the United States could win the Ryder Cup both at home and away. Sky Sports' Rich trees.
Schauffele's two-stroke victory at Royal Troon means he is the first American to win all four men's majors since 1982.
The 30-year-old also won the U.S. PGA Championship in May, Scottie Scheffler won the Masters title in April and Bryson DeChambeau won the U.S. Open in June.
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Watch highlights from the final round of The Open at Royal Troon as Xander Schauffele takes the Claret Jug.
The U.S. swept the U.S. again this time, following Europe's 16.5-11.5 win in Rome in October last year.
But Beam believes the U.S. legacy of major success could serve as a springboard for the team to not only reclaim the Ryder Cup in New York next year, but also win its first away Ryder Cup since 1993 at Adar Manor in Ireland in 2027.
“There are so many world-class players playing in the U.S., overseas and even in the L.A., but to have four Americans emerge and win all four majors since 1982 is truly an incredible achievement,” Beem said. Sky Sports News.
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After winning the Open, Schauffele spoke to Sky Sports about the key shots he hit in the final round.
“The American players push each other and try hard every time. We take exception when we lose in the Ryder Cup. We do the same on the road, and this win helps solidify the fact that our game can be played all over the world.
“I think everyone's dream is to win not only the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black next year, but also at Ader Manor.
“But just winning all four majors in one country, and most of the PGA Tour is played by Americans, it's really special for an American to feel like, 'Wow, we won all four majors.
“It's pretty good, trust me, I've told all my colleagues. Sky Sports do!”
'US Ryder Cup captain Bradley goes classy to celebrate Schauffele'
Schauffele (left) hugs 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley after his success at the Open.
Keegan Bradley, who will captain Team USA at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, was one of the first players to congratulate Schauffele with a warm hug after her win at Royal Troon, something Beam was thrilled to see.
He said: “It was a really good move to have Keegan there because Xander had made some notes about Keegan's captaincy and what he wanted to change. They had lots of dinners, lots of events, lots of photos and it took a lot of time away from the players' normal routine.
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Check out all six of Schauffele's birdies in the final round at Royal Troon.
“I think Keegan was saying to Xander, 'Listen, I heard you. I'm going to protect you. I'm going to do everything I can to work with the Ryder Cup on the American side and the European side to see if we can minimize that.'
“But I think just having Keegan there was a huge moment for Xander. I think it was a class move by Keegan.”
'Rory's Troon Show Had Nothing to Do with US Open Tragedy'
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Rory McIlroy had a terrible first round score of 7-over 78 at Royal Troon.
Schauffele becomes the first player to win the Open and the U.S. PGA Championship in the same year since Rory McRoy in 2014.
But McRoy has not won a major since his triumph at Valhalla, and the former world number three missed the cut at Royal Troon.
The 35-year-old was coming off a poor performance just a month after collapsing at the U.S. Open, dropping three shots in his final four holes to lose to DeChambeau by one.
But Beam believes McIlroy's loss at Pinehurst was not the cause of his struggles in Scotland and he must focus on adapting to windy conditions if he is to find success at the 153rd Open next year at Royal Portrush in his native Northern Ireland.
“His main performance this year has been pretty good,” Beam said. “It really bothered him that he missed the U.S. Open, but I don't think it had anything to do with his performance at Troon.
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McIlroy shot an 8 on the par-5 fourth hole during the second round at Royal Troon.
“I think the weather conditions have made it a bit tricky for him. We've talked about the wind and the weather at length, but he hasn't handled it well so it's something to look at. It's something to look at when he's trying to win this great championship at Portrush next summer.
“I think most people, even Rory, would say he doesn't have a great track record and hasn't played particularly well in windy conditions.
“He stole the title from Robert MacIntyre at the Scottish Open last summer with an incredible shot on the 72nd hole, but he's got that title this year. But it was a different kind of strong wind than at Troon, and a lot of players couldn't handle it, and he was the biggest one who didn't handle it well.
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McIlroy admitted he struggled with windy conditions at Royal Troon.
“Every golfer has something to learn from their failures and something to improve on the next time they are in a situation like we had at Portrush, when it's windy and rainy. He needs to look at that part of his game in terms of preparation, but I have no problem with his game at all.
“He's going to come out of the FedExCup Playoffs and play at a high level and you never know he might win again. He's a really good player, but I think he's been in shape and he's taken it for granted. That's been refreshing to hear, actually.”
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The PGA Tour heads to Minnesota for the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities, live on Sky Sports Golf from 6pm on Thursday. The next regular DP World Tour event is the D+D Real Czech Masters, August 15-18. Stream the PGA Tour, major championships, and more popular sports now.
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