2024 Open Championship reaction and odds: Schauffele 14-1 for the Masters after Royal Troon glory

A closing 65 was enough for Xander Schauffele to win his second Major title at the Open Championship on Sunday, to the delight of punters who followed Racing Post Sport's Steve Palmer in backing the American at 12-1 at the start of the tournament.

Schauffele, who next month will head to Paris to defend his Olympic title, proved too strong for a packed field of final-day competitors, coming out two shots better than England's Justin Rose and another Stateside operator Billy Horschel at Royal Troon.

Ireland's Shane Lowry battled away to earn sixth spot after a disappointing final nine holes on Saturday, and his finish was enough for an each-way payout for another Palmer selection at 35-1.

Schauffele's success came two months after the man from San Diego claimed his first Major at the US PGA Championship at Valhalla and, after his 11th successive top-20 finish in the game's biggest tournaments, bookmakers fancy there could be more to come.

The first Major of 2025 will be the Masters at Augusta, where Schauffele finished eighth in April. He is 14-1 with Coral and Ladbrokes to get his hands on the Green Jacket for the first time at a venue where he has finished in the top ten in four of his last six visits.

He is the same price to hold on to his US PGA title at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin and he is 12-1 to win his first US Open.

Before then though, there will be thoughts of a gold medal for the USA at the Paris Olympics, which open on Friday night.

Le Golf National, where Europe won the 2018 Ryder Cup, will host the tournament which will take place over four rounds starting on Thursday, August 1, and Schauffele is 8-1 to claim a repeat success.

World number one Scottie Scheffler is 15-4 favourite, although his anticipated charge into contention in the second half of Sunday's final round did not materialise after a double bogey on the ninth put paid to his chances.

The all-conquering Texan, who has won six times this year, had to be content with a tie for seventh, eight shots off the pace alongside Jon Rahm and Sungjae Im.

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