Xander Schauffele has been one of 2024’s eye-catching performers, and the two-time major winner is looking to pile pressure on Scottie Scheffler at this week’s first FedEx Cup playoff event.
Schauffele has played an instrumental role in a record-breaking year for American golfers and will be looking to finally get his hands on the FedEx Cup after running close over the past five years.
Regardless of what happens over the next three weeks, the American has had the season of his life after claiming The Open and PGA Championship. Smylie Kaufman has claimed most pros would want Schauffele’s 2024 over Scottie Scheffler’s.
Now, YouTube star Peter Finch has shared a key reason behind Schauffele’s success, which he does better than most players.
Peter Finch: Xander Schauffele can lock in unlike any other PGA Tour player
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Speaking during the latest episode of the Rough Cut Podcast, Finch highlighted Schauffele’s meticulous preparation before each shot as one of the key reasons behind his success.
“Often, I am not a massive fan of actually watching golf at a tournament. You can hardly see anything, but you do learn a lot more when you’re near the very best players in the world,” Finch initially said.
He added: “That’s one thing I learnt, especially from people like Xander. Xander’s one of the best at this. He almost treats every single shot as a real important thing. It’s like he gets in his own little bubble.
“The alignment, the set-up, the focus. Everything is so contained, and you can almost sense how much he’s concentrating with each shot. He gets really locked in, and he takes it seriously. Watching him I like the feeling and sensation that you can get into a shot and be completely locked into it.”
Xander Schauffele’s 2024 bounce-back must be studied
There are several players on the PGA Tour who haven’t been able to break into the elite bracket when they really should be. Tommy Fleetwood, for example, still hasn’t won on US soil and struggled during the latter stages of the Olympic event.
The Englishman would be wise to consider how Schauffele distanced himself from criticism after his challenging final round at the Wells Fargo Championship and bounced back brilliantly during the second major of the year.
Schauffele’s commitment to his routine and ability to lock himself into each shot was the key behind his emphatic Open Championship win at Royal Troon. The American’s final round was as close to perfection as you can theoretically get.
The 30-year-old’s turnaround needs to be studied, as there is a lot to learn from Schauffele’s stunning displays at some of the most significant events.
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