Schauffele unveils his grand plan after 'best ever' round

American eyeing career slam following faultless closing 65 to triumph at Open

- Matt Majendie

TWO months ago, Xander Schauffele did not have a single Major to his name, now he has his sights set on becoming only the sixth player in history to complete the grand slam of golf.

The American clearly had the talent, with 10 title wins and an Olympic gold medal, which he will defend next month in Paris, prior to winning on the biggest stage.

Yesterday, he produced a final round of 65 devoid of a single bogey and scored 31 on the back nine, a sequence of holes he described as the toughest of his career and one that had derailed plenty of other past champions over the course of four difficult days.

With just one over-par round all week, he finished at nine-under par and two clear of Justin Rose, who himself had battled so valiantly just days away from his 44th birthday.

Such was Schauffele’s brilliance, the wait for a first English winner since Nick Faldo in 1992 drags on for another year. It is an anomaly why that should be the case, so too the fact that it is now a quarter of a century since the last British player — Paul Lawrie — lifted the Claret Jug.