Charlotte, N.C. — Xander Schauffele remains one of the more overlooked golfers despite winning two major titles last year, including the PGA Championship and the British Open.
This week, as the defending champion at Quail Hollow, Schauffele surprisingly doesn’t rank high on many people’s favorite lists.
His late season start, thanks to an oblique injury, might contribute to that lack of attention.
However, Schauffele has fond memories of his 2024 PGA Championship triumph at Valhalla, which is quite significant for him.
“When you’re aiming for a win, you can’t let anything distract you,” Schauffele said, reflecting on his early challenges this week. “It’s all about focusing on the goal of winning—there’s no time to get caught up in minor details or mistakes.”
He reminisced about the atmosphere on the final hole during last year’s tournament when he finally secured his victory.
“I had some friends fly in from New York, along with my wife, uncle, and brother. It was really special to have everyone there to share those moments,” he added, looking back on that day.
Schauffele will take to the course in the first round alongside world number one Scottie Scheffler and the new Masters champion Rory McIlroy on Thursday at 8:22 am.
Even as the defending champion and ranked third in the world, he finds himself in a sort of underdog position in this trio.
“My game is coming along, albeit slowly. Getting those repetitions in is key, especially with unpredictable weather this week,” Schauffele noted.
One question he feels relieved to have moved past is about his near-miss moments in majors.
“I’m glad that’s behind me. You just have to keep evolving as a player,” he said, reflecting on his journey. “Winning my first PGA at Valhalla was incredible. It feels familiar yet, at the same time, I’m still proving myself out here.”
