Jason Day and Adam Scott got Australian hearts and hopes pumping for a while on the final day of the British Open — but blustery Royal Troon eventually snuffed out their promising challenges as American Xander Schauffele added the Claret Jug to his trophy cabinet.

After claiming the PGA Championship in May, Schauffele won his second major of the year in Scotland with a phenomenal 6-under-par final round to win at 9-under, two shots ahead of compatriot Billy Horschel and Englishman Justin Rose.

For a moment early in the fourth round it appeared there may be some Australian interest among that group, before Scott finished tied for 10th — his sixth top-10 finish at the Open — while 2023 runner-up Day was a shot back in joint 13th.

The lowlight of the day for Scott came with a double bogey on the 10th hole, starting his back nine by hitting a spectator with his tee shot.

Check out the full leaderboard

Remarkably, it was the second straight year that Scott has hit a fan with a drive at The Open.

Day, who had been among the earlier starters in slightly friendlier conditions, recorded four birdies on his spectacular outward nine, the best performance among the Sunday morning advance guard, pushing back to level par at the turn.

When he holed an outrageous 60-foot putt from off the front of the ninth green for a birdie, the 36-year-old former world number one found himself just four shots off the pace before the leaders had even begun to go out — and with the weather due to get worse.

Once again, though, on the home stretch, just as in the third round, a couple of wayward drives, at the 10th and the 14th holes, with the wind getting up, led to bogeys and proved enough to derail any realistic hopes of him making a charge.

Day did, however, enjoy a wonderful farewell to the tournament at the 18th, when he splashed out of a greenside bunker into the hole to finish with a 3-under 68, one of the best rounds of the day, and a 1-over-par total 285.

“Oh, it was beautiful,” he said of his splash-in.

“I mean, it’s nice to be able to do that on the 18th, especially in front of everyone. I enjoyed the week, the whole week actually was a lot of fun.”