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2021 US Open: Top 10 power rankings at Torrey Pines

By Mike Randleman

Jan 30, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; A detailed view of the south course map adjacent to the first tee during the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 30, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; A detailed view of the south course map adjacent to the first tee during the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 29, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; Xander Schauffele plays his shot from the second tee during the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf South Course. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 29, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; Xander Schauffele plays his shot from the second tee during the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf South Course. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /

Is the monkey finally off the back of Xander Schauffele at Torrey Pines?

He grew up in La Jolla and was a stud at San Diego State. Schauffele competed at Torrey Pines plenty between junior and high school golf several times.

This is also a venue that favors big hitters and solid ball strikers. Schauffele isn’t at the top of the top for length, but he gets it out there just fine. It seems as if this venue should suit him well, but the results hadn’t been there.

He missed the cut in his first three appearances between 2016-18. He recovered to post T-25th in 2019 and while he MC’d again in 2020, it was only by a shot. Same goes for 2018.

In 2021, he finally soared up the leaderboard to caim T-2nd. He was five back of winner Patrick Reed, but it was still a shot in the arm for a player who so wants to perform well at home.

The X Man fired rounds of 72-68-69 on the South course.

Schauffele is still seeking his first major championship. His record in these tournaments is still remarkable. The 27-year-old snapped a streak of 12 made cuts in a row at the majors last month in a surprise result at the PGA Championship.

He’s still finished top-10 in eight of 16 starts, including T-3rd at the 2021 Masters where he still had a chance to win stepping up to the 16th tee box.

Schauffele comes to La Jolla off of a week of rest after earning T-11th at the Memorial Tournament. That was his fourth top-20 in his last five starts.

For the 2020-21 PGA Tour season, Schauffele ranks 65th or better in all the main strokes gained categories. He’s one of the most well-rounded players whose game translates to all course types.

Torrey Pines isn’t one of the more heavily-bunkered courses, but there are still 54 of them out there. Schauffele’s first in sand saves (67.14%). He doesn’t hit it into them often on the par-5s since he’s first in par-5 scoring (4.46).

Schauffele has won four times on the PGA Tour but none since 2019. It’d be hard to draw up a better place to end the drought than in his backyard.

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