The Sudden and Spectacular Rise of Xander Schauffele

The name Xander Schauffele does not exactly roll off the tongue when you first look at it, but it is a name that golf fans have become highly aware of since he burst onto the PGA Tour scene in 2016.

Four years ago, I covered Xander Schauffele as he was an anonymous senior at San Diego State University dominating college golf, and I was a men’s golf team beat writer for the Daily Aztec (SDSU’s student-run newspaper). Back then, he had no problem walking from class to class without any recognition, on a campus that hardly cares even when it’s football or basketball players are in classes alongside normal students.

No one foresaw this catapult to the top of the PGA Tour this early in his career, even when he was the best player on a top collegiate team for his entire four-year career. When asked, his college coaches never projected him being a future star on tour, and it is peculiar now seeing as how quickly he has become one.

It could be because he was not the biggest, strongest, or most charismatic golfer out there, he was just the most consistent. That skill coupled with the dramatic improvement in his all-around game has instantly translated into success in the largest major tournaments in golf.

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Some of his more notable finishes have been in the U.S. Open, placing tied for fifth place at the in 2017, tied for sixth place in 2018, and tied for third this year. He has also been great in the other majors as well, finishing tied for 16th in PGA Championship this season, placing tied for second at the 147th Open in 2018, and tying for second at the Masters in this season as well.

He has shot up 1700 spots on the world ranking list, all the way up to number 11 in the world, since he made his debut in 2015. He will likely crack the top ten players in the world after this tournament, a place maybe he did not even envision himself being ranked this early in his career.

Now, it is a completely different life for the superstar PGA Tour pro, even if he still drives his old Toyota Camry around the streets of his hometown in San Diego. He admitted earlier this week in an interview with David Feherty, that he will now get recognized when he goes out around the city, but his girlfriend constantly reminds him that “you’re not all that.”

Two years ago, in the Tour Championship, he got the first signature win of his career by becoming the first PGA Tour rookie ever to win the event. He seems to always play his best on the game’s biggest stages, and there is no reason why he cannot do it again this time around.

This week, Xander Schauffele finds himself in a familiar position at the top of the leader board of the same tournament, continuing to build on his already growing legacy. After the first day, he shares the lead with two of the games brightest stars Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas, and he was by far the biggest riser on day one.

He had an amazing day with a very balanced scorecard by the end of it, to get out to a solid start. He had three birdies on both the front and back nine and did not have a single bogey the entire day. If Xander can keep up this birdie rate without having any bogeys or really big numbers, then he will take home the hardware at this tournament for the second time in three years.

Even if he comes up short this week, it is clear that Xander Schauffele will be a major player on the PGA Tour for many years to come. At 25, he is quickly becoming one of the best young players in golf without a major title to his credit, and next season fans will not be shocked if he takes home one of the four majors on the schedule.