Sentry Tournament of Champions: Top 10 power rankings at Kapalua

9 of 11

LAHAINA, HI – JANUARY 06: Xander Schauffele of the United States poses with the trophy after winning the Sentry Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course at Kapalua Golf Club on January 6, 2019 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

Oh, what a second time around a golf course can do. Xander fired 3-under par in his 2018 Tournament of Champions debut, but that only netted him T-22nd out of 34.

The learning curve at Kapalua continued in the early going a year later. An opening 72 put him five shots off the lead. He matched the low round on Friday with a 67, followed with 68 and came back from a five-shot deficit entering Sunday thanks to a course record 62. Oh yeah, Schauffele bogeyed the first hole, too.

He topped Gary Woodland by one en route to his third PGA Tour victory by age 26.

That win is what got him into this week’s field. Schauffele hasn’t won since, but he’s been close.

In 2019, the former San Diego State Aztec finished second at the Masters, Tour Championship and this fall at the WGC-HSBC Champions. He was also T-3 at the U.S. Open and missed just three cuts.

He’s as sharp as any in the field as he’s teed it up this month at the Hero World Challenge (T-10) and on the American side at the Presidents Cup (3-2 record) where he beat Adam Scott 2&1 in singles.

Schauffele is a complete player who was eighth on Tour last season in total strokes gained (1.393). He’s more of the bomb and gouge type (127th driving accuracy, 24th distance), which is a formula that can get it done at Kapalua.

He was top-20 on approaches from 50-100 yards and 26th in strokes gained approach (.481).

Home/Golf Power Rankings