Open Championship 2025: 10 Winners and Losers, Including Scottie Scheffler Hoisting the Claret Jug

Yahoo

3 days ago

The 153rd Open championship concluded Sunday as Scottie Scheffler hoisted the Claret Jug to become the Champion Golfer of the Year. Scheffler won by four shots at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
Scheffler had a four-shot lead entering the final round and grew the lead to seven before making the turn. With the win, Scheffler is now a U.S. Open trophy away from completing the career grand slam, which could come as early next June at Shinnencock Hills.
Here are 10 winners and losers from the 153rd Open Championship and the final major golf tournament in men's professional golf this year.
Winner: Scottie Scheffler, Open Championship Winner
Scottie Scheffler never looked back when he took the lead Friday to win the Claret Jug and his fourth major. It marks his fourth win of the season and his 11th consecutive top 10 finish this season. Scheffler shot a 7-under 64 in Friday's second round, which tied the lowest round and had a 4-under 67 in the third round. With a score of 17-under par, it marks the largest score to win since Cameron Smith won at St. Andrew in 2022 at -20.
Scheffler led the field in strokes gained approach and finished second in strokes gained putting. He also ranked third in greens in regulation while hitting just two bunkers all week. He is an unstoppable force when he makes putts and finds putting surfaces in scoring position.
Related: Where Scottie Scheffler stands among the past winners in Open Championship history
Loser: Collin Morikawa
The 2022 Open Championship winner struggled this week, shooting 7-over par through 36 holes and missing the cut. Collin Morikawa, who is right in the mix of the recent caddie carousel on the PGA Tour, did not have it with the irons. He ranked 147th over the first two rounds in strokes gained approach. Ultimately, that comes from a player who was one of the best iron players in the world as of late.
Winner: Harris English
Harris English put together another strong performance at a major championship. English shot 13-under par and finished as the runner-up. English started strong with a 4-under 67 before bookending it with a final round 5-under 66 Sunday.
It marks the first time in his career he has recorded multiple top-five finishes in a major season. This comes after English was the runner-up at the PGA Championship two months ago.
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Loser: Patrick Cantlay
Patrick Cantlay is considered one of the best players in the game without a major championship. The opportunity to hoist a major championship trophy will have to wait until 2026 after not making the cut by two strokes. Despite ranking 13th over the first two days in strokes gained around the green, he ranked 137th in strokes gained putting.
Entering 2025, Cantlay had missed three cuts in 27 career major starts. However, he finished this year's major season with three straight missed cuts. Now, his chances to play in the Ryder Cup for Team USA in two months have greatly diminished, entering the week at No. 14 and sure to drop Monday.
Winner: Chris Gotterup
Chris Gotterup had an unforgettable Europe trip. After winning the Genesis Scottish Open last week, he followed that up this week with a place finish. Gotterup's start was fueled by a 6-under 65 in Friday's second round, where he recorded two eagles, compared to just one bogey on his round.
He eagled the par-5 12th to cap off a 3-under 68 heading into the final round, where he finished in third place to earn his spot in next year's Open Championship.
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Winner: Justin Leonard
Twenty-eight years ago, Justin Leonard was victorious at Royal Troon to win the 1997 Open Championship. This week, he made his first major tournament cut in 11 years since the 2014 U.S. Open. It is also his first made cut at an Open Championship since 2013 when he finished inside the top 15.
Leonard made the cut on the number at 1-over par and got to even par Saturday, before placing T59 at 2-over par. Leonard, 53, has seven more years left before his Open Championship past winner exemption expires. This week was one to remember for Leonard, who entered the week at No. 4,689 in the world golf rankings.
Loser: Cameron Smith
The 2022 Open Championship winner struggled this week at Royal Portrush, shooting 8-over par to miss the cut. That included shooting 7-over 78 in Friday's second round. In the first two rounds combined, Smith was last in the field with -3.83 strokes gained off the tee. The 2025 major season was one to forget for the Aussie, who became the only player to miss the cut at all four majors this year
Smith has missed the last five major championship cuts and has not been in contention at a major since the 2024 Masters, when he tied for sixth.
Winners: Bryson DeChambeau and Wyndham Clark
Although it was not a memorable start to the Open Championship, both Bryson DeChambeau and Wyndham Clark played superbly over their final 54 holes. Despite shooting an opening round 7-over 78 in the opening round, DeChambeau shot 65-68-64. Clark shot 5-over 76 in the first round but bounced back with rounds of 66-66-65 to finish at 11-under par
The 2023 and 2024 U.S. Open Champions each recorded totals of 197 over their final 54 holes, which marks the second lowest in Open Championship history. It only trails Henrik Stenson in 2016 when he needed 196 strokes to outlast Phil Mickelson at Royal Troon.
Loser: Brooks Koepka
Brooks Koepka struggled over the first two days at Royal Portrush, shooting 7-over par through 36 holes. Of the four strokes gained categories (putting, around the green, approach, and off the tee), Koepka did not have any of those in his favor to have the opportunity to play the weekend. He entered Friday three strokes back of the future cut line at 1-over but did not make a birdie until the 17th hole.
This now marks the first time in Koepka's major career that he has missed three cuts in the same season.
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Winner: Haotong Li
Haotong Li had a successful Open Championship, playing in the final round Sunday with Scheffler. Li finished tied for fourth at 11-under par after three sub-70 rounds before the final 18 holes. It marks his best finish at an Open Championship since his final round 63 propelled him to a third-place finish in 2017 at Royal Birkdale. Li has had a great season on the DP World Tour, highlighted by four top 10s in five starts to earn his spot in this week's field. His top-5 finish also earns him a spot in next year's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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