AUGUSTA, Ga. – Xander Schauffele’s progress over the past month has him believing that he can claim a third major in his last four attempts.
Schauffele lost about two months earlier this season because of a rib injury, only returning five weeks ago at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Though he was able to extend his cuts-made streak in three consecutive events (now up to 60 in a row), he failed to crack the top 10 and lost ground in the world rankings, down to No. 3 behind Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.
Frustrated with the state of his ball-striking, Schauffele vowed to blow his ball count “out of the water” and – not surprisingly – has seen his game respond to the increased workload. In his most recent start, at the Valspar Championship, he led the field in approach play while posting career-best strokes-gained numbers. (Not being able to do the necessary amount of club testing with the latest model, he has also returned to his old driver.)
“Just knowing that I want to get to a good place, maybe I freed myself up that week,” he said Monday, “just sort of let the ball go where it’s going to go, instead of two hands on the steering wheel, gripping tight. It turned into a really good week.”
Schauffele’s team had recommended that he take his comeback slowly, knowing that, if it were up to him, he would “go berserk” and could risk further injury. But all of Schauffele’s scans have been clean and he hasn’t experienced any setbacks or physical limitations.
“I haven’t thought about my rib or anything of that nature,” he said. “That’s the nicest thing about it.”
Now, it’s once again just a matter of execution. Though he might not be in the same form that saw him capture the first two majors of his career last summer, he has seen enough positive trends in practice to be optimistic about his chances.
“I think I know what I’m capable of when I’m feeling good, when I’m not thinking of anything but getting the ball in the hole,” he said. “It’s been a process to get back to that. I don’t have a ton of reps doing it, but there’s a lot for me to draw back on, previous accomplishments to let that confidence grow.”
So he believes he can win this week?
“Absolutely, yeah.”
