Following his victory at the PGA Championship, Xander Schauffele had to face some hard facts that not even the greatest victory of his career could shield him from.
Even though Xander Schauffele had a historic victory at the PGA Championship, he was still being schooled after the fact.
After facing pressure to defeat Bryson DeChambeau by a single stroke on Sunday, the Californian eventually managed to win his first major championship. However, golfer Schauffele recently disclosed that even he was learning while working at Valhalla Golf Club, so it appears that every day is a school day.
After his historic victory in Kentucky, he was asked about the possibility of a playoff matchup on a par five against renowned big hitter DeChambeau when he appeared on the Pardon My Take podcast. But it soon became clear that others were also receiving fresh information.
“In full. When asked if the play-off implications were on his mind as the 18th hole approached on Sunday, Schauffele answered, “Absolutely.” “I had no idea that the playoffs were really an aggregate. There are three holes.
It was fitting that the 30-year-old kept up his lead and sealed the championship by birdieing the last hole, following DeChambeau’s example. And Schauffele admitted that if he had missed that putt that would have sealed the championship, forcing a playoff where he “felt like he shouldn’t be,” all the momentum would have been in his opponent’s favor.
Regarding that pressure putt, Schauffele also disclosed how his coach’s scathing text after winning his first major trophy quickly brought him back to reality. It was also a brief reminder that there is always work to be done.
As he read the final putt and got ready to make the shot, Schauffele recalled, “I was like, ‘Screw it, I need to commit to this.'” “I actually didn’t take that long because I reasoned that the more I looked at it, the more I would see and possibly overanalyze. I was anxious as a result.
“I hit it pretty straight in the end. My putting coach actually texted me, saying, “You pulled it.” I said, “Thanks, dude.” He’s accurate! I’ve probably watched that putt six times, and each time it looks like it will miss [laughs].
Luckily for him, Schauffele’s fourth-round 65 set a new major record of 21 under par, and the push proved to be inch-perfect. His 62 in the first round set the stage for an extraordinary round of play in Louisville, where he finally crossed the finish line for the first time in a major.
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