Texas Tech golfer Calum Scott set a high standard for himself in his first major championship appearance.
Scott finished as the low amateur Sunday in the British Open. Playing at Royal Troon, 214 miles from his home in Nairn, Scotland, he made the cut by shooting 71-75 on Thursday and Friday, then carded 70-76 on the weekend.
“The Open, in Scotland, silver medalist, it’s got a pretty cool ring to it,” Scott said in an interview posted by HeraldScotland.com.
Since 1949, the tournament’s low amateur has been awarded a silver medal, provided he finishes all 72 holes. Among the past silver medal winners are Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose.
“Right now, I feel like I’m cloud nine,” Scott said. “It’s a pretty special feeling to be in the same kind of breath as those guys and win the same thing as them. It’s unbelievable, obviously. It’s one of the highest honors you can win as an amateur golfer, and to be alongside those names is really special.”
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More: https://golfweek.usatoday.com/lists/16-golfers-two-majors-including-british-same-year/
Xander Schauffele won by two strokes for his second major championship of the year. Schauffele shot 7-under 65 in the final round to finish 9-under.
Scott tied for 43rd overall, in a group at 8-over with five-time major champion Brooks Koepka. Scott was even par through 10 holes of the final round before he made five bogeys in a stretch of seven holes.
Schauffele commended Scott in the post-round awards ceremony.
Cradling the claret jug, Schauffele turned to Scott, nodded and said, “Congratulate Calum Scott. Great playing. I know you’d like to play better, but still low man this week and wish you the best of luck your senior year at Texas Tech.”
Among the other amateurs, Scott finished three shots ahead of Tommy Morrison, who plays for Texas, and Jacob Skov Olesen, who played one year at Ranger College, three at TCU and this past season at Arkansas.
Scott has been a regular in the Texas Tech lineup the past three years. During the 2023-24 school year, he finished sixth place or better in four tournaments, including runner-up showings at the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional. He led the team in stroke average (70.9), rounds played (41), rounds par or better (27) and rounds in the 60s (14).
He’ll be a senior for the Red Raiders this coming school year.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech golfer Calum Scott wins low amateur at British Open
