Xander Schauffele dominated at Royal Troon, but others had their moments to shine.
Thriston Lawrence from South Africa had a memorable day, even leading by one shot with nine holes left. Though Schauffele surged ahead, Lawrence’s fourth-place finish earned him a spot in next year’s Open at Royal Portrush and his first Masters invitation.
“I didn’t actually put myself under the pressure that some people are supposed to,” he said afterwards. “I just looked at it as a normal Sunday of a normal golf tournament. Yes, it is The Open, it is a bigger stage. But being in that moment, I felt so calm.”
Lawrence has been on the rise since winning the Joburg Open in 2021. That win got him membership on the DP World Tour and he’s won three more times since then. His latest victory was last June at the BMW International Open.
Biggest Payday Yet:
His fourth-place finish at Royal Troon brought him $876,000—his biggest payday ever! This beats his previous best from winning the European Masters by quite a bit.
Fans might think this news shows how much potential Lawrence has for future tournaments.
He’s now set up for more opportunities thanks to his top-10 finishes this season. He’s currently 15th in the Race to Dubai and ninth among players without PGA Tour status.
Lawrence has qualified for this week’s 3M Open and could soon be eyeing the Presidents Cup too. He entered this week ranked 23rd in the International Team’s standings and will likely climb higher now.
What do you think about Thriston’s journey so far?
