Xander Schauffele used LIV Golf pair as motivation as he claimed victory at The Open

Xander Schauffele has opened up about how the epic 2016 Open showdown between Phil Mickelson and Henrik Stenson inspired him to his own Claret Jug triumph at Royal Troon.

Schauffele edged out Justin Rose and Billy Horschel to claim his second major title in just three starts. Delivering a stunning performance, the American ace shot a flawless six-under-par 65 in the final round, finishing the tournament nine-under overall.

After his victory, Schauffele was awarded the iconic Claret Jug outside the Royal Troon clubhouse, becoming the first person to do so since Stenson in 2016.

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Schauffele admitted that reliving the legendary duel between Mickelson and Stenson spurred him on to clinch his second major championship. "I feel very honored. Hearing your name called with 'Open champion' afterwards is something I've dreamt of for a very long time," he said.

He credited watching highlights of the Mickelson-Stenson clash from 2016 as a motivational tool. "I watched the highlights of Phil [Mickelson] and Henrik [Stenson] in 2016 to motivate myself. I guess that paid off pretty nicely! " Schauffele expressed his elation at being named Champion Golfer of The Year: "It's an honor. I've always dreamt of doing it.

"That walk up 18 truly is the coolest with the yellow leaderboards and the fans and the standing ovation. It really is one of the coolest feelings I've ever had in my life. I got chills walking down and quickly had to zap myself back into focus because the tournament wasn't over yet. I can't wait to enjoy this with my family."

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In line with tradition, he will relish his victory banquet by enjoying a drink out of the Claret Jug with his dad. He joked: "I don't really get to celebrate too many things ever. This game is cruel at times.

"So I have my whole family and most of my team here. I'm just curious to see what my dad is going to pick as a first drink to drink out of this. He's going to have to figure out what he wants to put in there because he's taking the first gulp out of it."

After years of waiting, this win marks Schauffele's second major win in as many months following his PGA Championship triumph in May.

Now ranked second in the world, his focus shifts towards clinching the Masters and US Open titles to complete a coveted career Grand Slam. Discussing these lofty ambitions, he added: "Yeah, I mean, before I had any majors, it's something I've always wanted. 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."