The Open 2024: Xander Schauffele holds of Justin Rose to win ...

With six players tied for second at the start of play, the most going into the final round of a major for 30 years, there was bound to be drama.

And it began before the leaders teed off.

Spain's Jon Rahm, who resumed on two over par, opened with three successive birdies and added another on the seventh to get to two under, just two behind overnight leader Horschel.

But while there were birdies to be had on the front nine, Rahm also showed how tough the back nine would be as he had eight pars and a bogey to finish on one under.

Shane Lowry, who started at one under, was the first of the serious contenders to charge, with four birdies in five holes as the 2019 champion reached the turn at four under, his eventual finishing total.

But those behind him were also making headway.

World number one Scheffler briefly flickered, reaching four under after eight but a three-putt double bogey from eight feet on the ninth stalled his challenge and he closed with another six at the last to post a 72 and one-under total.

Rose was three under for his front nine as he briefly led on six under. Schauffele picked up shots at the sixth and seventh holes, and then had the only birdie of the day on the par-four 11th to join Rose.

By this point, South African Thriston Lawrence, out in the final group with Horschel, had gone one clear on seven under after four birdies on his front nine.

Horschel was hanging in there. The overnight leader birdied three of his opening five holes to get to six under but bogeys on the eighth and 10th holes looked to have ended his hopes. Three successive birdies to finish joint second came with the pressure of winning off.

While others faded at the start of the back nine - Sam Burns, who was among those in second place at the start of day, dropped six shots on the 10th, 11th and 12th holes as he posted an 80 - Schauffele stomped on the accelerator.

He followed his birdie on 11 with two more on the 13th and 14th holes to reach eight under.

It was the turning point. Schauffele was suddenly two clear of Lawrence and three clear of Rose, who both bogeyed the 12th.

Schauffele and Rose both birdied the long 16th and the American knew at that point he was almost home. Two pars were enough, while Rose saluted the crowd after rounding off his championship with a birdie at the last before warmly embracing the victor.

Rose at least has the comfort of knowing that he has already qualified for next year's Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.

Also qualified for 2025 are fellow Englishmen Dan Brown and Matthew Jordan, who ended level par and joint 10th.

Brown, the world number 272, led after round one and continued to defy expectation throughout the week but finally faded on Sunday.

Like Rose, he too began the final round one off the lead but, playing with Scheffler, he had four bogeys in his opening six holes and he closed with a 74.

It means England's hopes of a first winner of The Open extend to a 33rd year, with Sir Nick Faldo's triumph at Muirfield in 1992 still the last.

Scotland's Calum Scott scooped the Silver Medal as low amateur. His closing 76 won him that title on eight over par.