Scottie Scheffler put on notice by Xander Schauffele after The Open humiliation

Scottie Scheffler could not match the epic performance of Xander Schauffele on Sunday. (Image: Getty)

World No.1 golfer Scottie Scheffler has been put on notice and informed that he has a worthy competitor in Xander Schauffele. That's according to The Open runner-up Billy Horschel, who was blown away by Schauffele's performance at Royal Troon.

After a gritty final performance against Justin Rose and Horschel, Schauffele managed to bag the Claret Jug by a two-shot margin. The new champion had previously sealed his first major victory earlier in May - and now, with this latest conquest, he's further stamped his authority as one of the top figures in the game.

Horschel, who himself stood as the front-runner going into the deciding round, ultimately conceded that Schauffele's success at the very least puts him on par with Scheffler, who has endured a difficult spell of late.

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Speaking candidly about Schauffele's dominant play, Horschel expressed admiration for his colleague's stellar year: "[Schauffele is] the second-best player this year in the world. No one has played better than him in my opinion. He's got two majors. I don't know if he's won anywhere else before the PGA, but he's been up there consistently, having chances to win.

"Obviously Scottie has got five or six wins and a major, but what Xander has done this year, the consistency he plays with, he's taken his game to another level. He deserves to hold that Claret Jug right now."

Scottie Scheffler endured a day to forget at Royal Troon (Image: Harry How/Getty Images)

Scheffler has won six times on the PGA Tour this season, including a second Masters title after taming Augusta National in April. But it has been a frustrating major season for the 28-year-old since.

At Valhalla, where Schauffele won the PGA Championship, Scheffler saw his bid for the Wannamaker Trophy derailed by his bizarre arrest on the second morning of the tournament.

Xander Schauffele's joy was clear as he clinched the Claret Jug after a memorable showing at The Open Championship at Royal Troon (Image: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) SUBSCRIBE Invalid email

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He never looked comfortable a month later at the US Open in June, narrowly making the cut at Pinehurst No. 2 before finishing in a tie for 41st place.

At Royal Troon, however, he had a chance heading into Sunday, sitting just two shots off the lead.

But his bid for a third career major win came undone with a clumsy double bogey at the ninth before ending his round embarrassingly with a dreadful tee shot at the last en route to another double. He had to settle for a share of seventh place at one-under-par, eight shots adrift of Schauffele.

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Sunday's win saw Schauffele leapfrog Rory McIlroy into second place in the Official World Golf Ranking, and Horschel is not surprised to see the success the California native is enjoying.

"I played with Xander in the 2017 FedEx St. Jude Classic, the week before Erin Hills," he recounted. "I think I played with him on Saturday or Sunday, he had just qualified for the U.S. Open, and I walked off the golf course after playing 18 holes with him, and I said, this kid is going to be really good.

"I was really impressed with his game at that time. To see him improve, to see him grind and work hard and do everything the right way and have that attitude of trying to do everything you can to get better day in and day out, he deserves everything that he's gotten this year and what he's going to get in the future."

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Scottie Scheffler put on notice by Xander Schauffele after The Open humiliation

Scottie Scheffler put on notice by Xander Schauffele after The Open humiliation

Scottie Scheffler put on notice by Xander Schauffele after The Open humiliation

Scottie Scheffler put on notice by Xander Schauffele after The Open humiliation

Scottie Scheffler put on notice by Xander Schauffele after The Open humiliation