'It's Something I've Always Wanted' - Xander Schauffele Reveals Grand Slam Ambition After Open Victory

New Open champion Xander Schauffele says he always had completing a career Grand Slam in his mind even before breaking his Major duck in superb style in 2024.

The 30-year-old entered the year without a Major to his name and as a top-10 machine in the big events it brought into question his abilities as a closer.

Another top 10 at The Masters in between high-profile runners-up finishes at The Players Championship and Well Fargo only added to those rumblings.

Schauffele blew them away though by getting over the line with a pressure putt on the final hole of the PGA Championship giving him his maiden Major - and no doubt the confidence to then add a quick second at Royal Troon.

In the blink of an eye, Schauffele is halfway towards a career Grand Slam, something only achieved by five players in the Masters era, and he's admitted it's definitely in his sights.

"Yeah, I mean, before I had any Majors, it's something I've always wanted," Schauffele said about his Grand Slam ambitions.

"I'm one step closer and still have a long way to go. But if you don't see yourself doing it, you're never going to do it."

And that Grand Slam ambition may just be his next motivating factor now he's pocketed two Major trophies - as Schauffele insisted he's not about to take his foot off the gas now.

"If you look hard enough, you can always find it [motivation]. It's something, when you feel like you need an extra kick in the butt, there's several easy ways to motivate yourself. 

"There's still a lot of things that I'd like to do in my career, and this is a very big leap towards that. The fire is still burning, maybe brighter than ever."

While the golf course was obviously harder for his Open win than at Valhalla for the PGA - Schauffele said that winning his first Major helped him during the tough slog at Troon.

"It was hard. It was very difficult. I think winning the first one helped me a lot today on the back nine," Schauffele added. "I had some feeling of calmness come through. It was very helpful on what has been one of the hardest back nines I've ever played in a tournament.

"I mean, it's a dream come true to win two Majors in one year. It took me forever just to win one, and to have two now is something else."

And a lesson from Valhalla Schauffele learned was to look at the scoreboards, know exactly where he was and what he needed to do to claim that second Major - and from there make sure he didn't let it slip.

"I was looking at the boards all day," he admitted. "I've tried it in the past where I haven't done it, but at Valhalla I was looking at them all day, and I really wanted to embrace it. 

"I kind of grabbed onto it, and there was no chance I was going to let go of it. I was pretty aware of that and really wanted to make sure I did that.

"But for the most part, all those tough losses in the past or those moments where I let myself slip up and dream too early on that back nine, I was able to reel myself in today and make sure that didn't happen."