Xander Schauffele’s Journey to the Ryder Cup
On paper, Xander Schauffele might seem a little under the radar.
He earned a spot in the Ryder Cup based on his points, but last year, he really shone. Unfortunately, a rib injury sidelined him for two months this year. This season marked a first for him—he didn’t qualify for the Tour Championship. And before heading to Beth Page this past weekend, he hadn’t stepped onto a tournament course since mid-August. To top it off, his wife Maya had just given birth to their first child. She wasn’t there for Team USA’s prep in Napa a couple of weeks ago, leaving only Bryson DeChambeau out of the loop because of his LIV golf commitment.
Despite the hurdles, Schauffele honestly surprised himself with his performance, especially considering the year he’s had.
“I feel like I’m playing surprisingly well two days in,” Schauffele remarked on Tuesday. “Honestly, I was a bit taken aback when I first came out.”
During a break, Keegan Bradley and his assistant checked in on Schauffele, offering support while he was with Maya and their newborn, Victor. After taking three weeks off following the BMW Championship, he found his rhythm just before arriving at Beth Page for what would be his third Ryder Cup.
“I miss him,” Schauffele said, referring to Victor. “Leaving home was tough. I had to quickly pull off the band-aid, give him a kiss on the forehead, and leave before I started tearing up.”
In 2021, Schauffele celebrated a Ryder Cup victory as a rookie at the Moore Histring Strait. Now, dealing with his ups and downs, he believes that another Team USA victory would resonate deeply when reflecting on this year.
Meanwhile, Team USA formed some practice groups for Tuesday, with Harris English, Russell Henley, Colin Morikawa, and Scottie Scheffler teaming up. Another group included DeChambeau, Ben Griffin, Justin Thomas, and Cameron Young, while Schauffele found himself paired with Sam Burns, Patrick Cantlay, and J.J. Spaun.
On the European side, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Rory McIlroy, and Justin Rose made up one group, while Rasmus Hojgaard, Viktor Hovland, Robert MacIntyre, and Sepp Straka were another. The final group featured Ludvig Åberg, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, and Jon Rahm.
Additionally, Luke Donald is aware that NBA icon Michael Jordan will be rocking Team USA gear this weekend. Jordan might not offer advice this time around, but his influence is certainly felt. As Donald neared the end of his college career at Northwestern, he played golf in Chicago, and he and Jordan became lifelong friends, both living close in Florida now. Watching the “Last Dance” documentary in 2020, Donald focused on how Jordan led his team, emphasizing the importance of collective effort.
“You can be a champion team, but you’re not a championship team,” Donald highlighted. “It’s crucial to have strong people around you. That’s something I’ve absorbed from him and tried to integrate into my teams in the past.”
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Bradley, ranked No. 13, is set to be the first golfer on the Ryder Cup team to captain while also being in the top 20.
