Augusta, Ga. – After two of four major titles in the 2024 breakthrough, Xander Schauffele found himself in a crazy position early this year.
During the offseason, his chest cavity suffered a torn intercostal strain and cartilage at the time. There are 2 players in the world trying to play through it at the Sentinel Invitational. However, he realized he needed more time and recovery.
Between spending more time with his wife and dog and watching TV shows, Schauffele also tuned to golf, only when his peers try to win the game he can’t win.
“I’ve never really dealt with injuries before, so I’ve never been really eliminated,” Schauffele said at Augusta National on Monday. “I’m trying to find all the positives related to the situation and I’ve not been hurt before, sitting at home thinking about all these thoughts.
“…I’m a little flying as I watch other people play golf, it’s very motivated.”
Although Schauffele tried his best to be patient in the recovery process, Rory McIlroy ranked second in the official world golf rankings after Rory McIlroy won the championship and player championship at Pebble Beach.
“This year, Rory has performed very well, and the couple has won a win and has become relaxed and enjoyable when it looks like a hard golf course,” Schauffele said. “There are a lot of people playing at a very high level and luckily, I know I can play at this level, too.”
Schauffele returned at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Bay Hill and played four games at the Masters. Although he is still in form, he made all four layoffs, tied for 12th place in the Valspar Invitational two weeks ago.
He attributed his end there, allowing himself to swing more freely without feeling like he was holding the steering wheel so tightly.
“It’s a process back to that,” Schauffele said. “I don’t have a lot of representatives to do this, but I have a lot of things to learn from, and it’s previous achievements that can make that confidence grow.”
Mentally, Schauffele said he believed he had turned a corner over the past month after a sad process – where he played a series of emotions about his injuries, including anger, disappointment, frustration and acceptance.
Now, Schauffele began to think of what he could do – including winning third – rather than what he couldn’t do.
“I want to think I feel very similar. I didn’t really wake up and feel more accomplished. I feel like the same person,” Schauffele said. “I think the biggest difference when I get into these attractions will be that my dream is just to give myself another chance.”
“I think I said, after PGA, public: If I could get myself to win this, then I felt good, I did. I think every major in my current season would be like this. If I could put myself in a good position…I would fail sometimes, but I could win than before and I think I could handle it better.”
From being one of the best players who will never win a professional, to winning two players within a month, Schauffele’s narrative has flipped quickly. Finishing the topic of Grand Slam at some point in his career was a feat and now it seems to be feasible. The Augusta he said made him feel like a “child in a candy shop” which was helpful and proved to be a place for his game.
“Believe it or not, [winning the Grand Slam] Schuffle, who has four top 10 in the Masters since 2019, said: “Before I won any of them, he always thought before I won anybody. [and] No wins. ”
