Macon native, UGA grad Russell Henley finishes strong at British Open thanks to clutch late shots

Russell Henley didn’t win the British Open, nor did he record his best finish in a major, but Henley’s return flight home will give him time to think about arguably his most impressive performance in a major and one of the best of his pro career.

The Stratford and Georgia grad put himself in contention early Saturday and stayed there until the end, finishing fifth with a 2-under for the day and 5-under 279 for the weekend.

Considering how forgettable his visits to the British Open have been and how he’s had some Sunday struggles down the stretch when in contention, it was quite the keeper of a week for the 35-year-old.

He was a little on edge, though, not quite feeling the same as at home.

“No, I feel very uncomfortable here,” he told reporters afterward. “I do. I’ve never played well here. It’s just completely different than what we play at home, firmer turf, slower greens, wind is stronger. It’s just a completely different ballgame.”

For one, Henley had one of the best performances of the field on the five toughest holes, 10 through 15, going 1-under in that span. For another, he was one of very few players to finish the back nine under par for the tournament.

It was also his third career major with three sub-70 rounds, coming on arguably the toughest course, and he may have shed a monkey from his back when he avoided a Sunday stumble while in contention.

So while not in a comfort zone, he played as if he was in one.

“I think over here, kind of your game plan, what you normally have at home, hitting mostly stock shots, is kind of thrown out the window,” he said. “You kind of have to be able to play those creative shots, and I enjoy that.”

What made the difference

Had Henley notched even an average short game on Sunday, he might’ve needed a seat on the flight for the Claret Jug.

A day after Henley had six birdies, he could only manage two, and that was the difference between a fifth-place finish and battling to the final holes for his first major win.

It was putting that lifted Xander Schauffele to the Open championship. Henley and Schauffele were the only players to escape Sunday without a bogey.

“The first few holes, I didn’t really give myself great birdie looks when I could have on some scoring holes,” said Henley, who birdied No. 5 and 16. “Other than that, I was really steady. Just didn’t make a ton from around 20 feet. Maybe I should have just hit it a little closer.”

Henley’s surge was a surprise after a second round of five bogeys and one birdie, which followed a solid 2-under first round. He finished the tournament first in driving accuracy and greens in regulation, fourth in total bunkers found (only two) and fifth in shots gained off the tee and total.

But he was only 6 of 11 in putts between 5 and 10 feet, and 6 of 21 in putts from 10-20 feet, just missing some usually makeable putts.

Still, not a bad way to earn a check for $705,000.

“(I) feel like I had a chance most of the day,” Henley said. “It was just great to feel like I was in control of my game under pressure, feeling uncomfortable in an uncomfortable style of golf I haven’t really played well before, so it just gives me a lot of confidence.”

A tie for fourth in the 2023 Masters is Henley’s best majors finish. He also snagged a tie for seventh in this year’s U.S. Open.

The 279 is Henley’s fourth-best score — for the third time — in a major. He shot a 274 to tie for 23rd in this year’s PGA Championship.

Recapping the finish

Henley opened the last day of the contest in a tie for second, and the top of the leaderboard became a traffic jam on Sunday with nearly 10 players within three shots of the lead at different times early.

Thriston Lawrence — a European Tour member who’s 97th in Official World Golf Rankings — created a little separation, going 7-under overall, with only eight others under par at the time.

Henley was in fifth, three back at that point, through 10.

Ranked 20th in the Official World Golf Ranking, Henley was 1-under through nine, with only one birdie but no bogeys. He was close, with only one of his eight par putts longer than three feet, and four of those less than two feet.

He parred the sixth hole despite a drop ball on his second shot, and escaped some mild rough on tee shots on four and nine.

The close calls continued, as he was less than a foot away for birdie on 10, then just right on a 25-footer for birdie on hole 11.

Meanwhile, Henley stayed ahead of former tournament leaders Shane Lowry, Daniel Brown and Justin Thomas, and was right with third-round leader Billy Horschel.

The leaderboard remained still, with Lawrence, Xander Schauffele, Justin Rose, Henley, and Billy Horschel within three shots of each other, through 10 as the leaders hit the tough stretch of 10 through 15.

Henley saved a big par on 12 with a 13-footer, but his second shot on 13 had too much and rolled off the green, down a hill and into the edge of regular rough.

But he delivered a sweet shot for another par of less than two feet, then saved par on 14 after his second shot settled just off the green.

As Henley maintained his pace, so did the other leaders. Nobody was gaining ground on Schauffele, who had taken a two-shot lead over Lawrence.

Henley finally gained a little ground, draining a 25-foot birdie on 15, pushing him into a tie for third with Rose and three back of Schauffele, who quickly upped the lead back to three over Rose and Lawrence and four over Henley and Horschel.

Henley continued to be just off on birdie tries on the back nine, with the 13-footer on 12 the longest par putt, the other seven all from less than three feet.

But staying out of trouble during a weekend loaded with rain and wind and on a course that’s trouble on a calm day was an accomplishment.

He tried to explain the difference in Royal Troon and most everywhere else.

“I don’t know if I can in one sentence, but I would say every lie, every shot is just so different,” said Henley, not in the field at this week’s 3M Open in Minnesota. “You have to be willing to play shots you’re not comfortable with. Sometimes the wind is blowing really hard right to left. I’ve got to feel like I’m hitting a slice to straighten it out, and you have to be willing to be creative.”