It was difficult not to think that 2024 was going to prove to be the turning point in Xander Schauffele’s career and open the floodgates for the world number three.
Xander Schauffele has been an outstanding performer throughout his PGA Tour career. However, there was a question mark over his ability to get across the line in the biggest events. Those doubts were emphatically put to bed with his victories at the PGA Championship and The Open Championship last year.
Many players would have preferred Schauffele’s year over Scottie Scheffler‘s, despite the world number one approaching double figures for the victories he secured worldwide.
Unfortunately, Schauffele has been unable to kick on in 2025. A rib injury ruled him out for a few weeks early on in the season. And since his return, the 31-year-old has registered just three top 10 finishes on the PGA Tour.
Xander Schauffele will be focused on earning his spot at the Tour Championship after a difficult season
He has automatically qualified for the Ryder Cup. However, he went into the BMW Championship 43rd in the FedEx Cup standings and needing a good week to secure his spot at the Tour Championship.
Schauffele is yet to miss the Tour Championship since earning his PGA Tour card. And speaking on the Golf Channel Podcast before Schauffele’s hugely disappointing opening round at Caves Valley, Rex Hoggard suggested that he does not expect that run to end this year.
“Just the idea that he has been dominant on that golf course, I’m talking about East Lake at the Tour Championship, and if it hadn’t been for starting strokes, he would have won a couple more times there. So you get an idea of how much he loves that golf course. And the idea that he is now on the outside looking in and needs to do something not just good, but I would say borderline great this week at the BMW,” he said.
“I think he’s trending in the right direction. He’s had some good starts ever since the Scottish Open. Going forward, I feel like he’s starting to find something a little bit more. And this all goes back to the rib injury that he had to start the season, and he never really picked up where he left off. It was interesting to me, talking to him a lot after the Scottish Open and then after The Open Championship the next week, the idea that his ball striking has come around. If you look at statistically, he’s back to where he was something close to last season, maybe not driving the ball, but certainly with his iron play.
“It’s been his putting, which is frustrating for a player like Xander who seems like he has always been among the top third of putting even when you go all the way back to his college days. So that’s probably the part that’s held him back more.
“But it would be, I don’t want to say a huge surprise given the fact that he did have an injury, but it would be pretty stunning if he doesn’t make it to East Lake.”
How Xander Schauffele has performed at the Tour Championship across his career
As Hoggard notes, Schauffele has an incredible record at the Tour Championship across his career.
He won the event in 2017 in his debut at the season finale. Meanwhile, his worst finish in eight appearances is tied for seventh.
He also posted the lowest gross score in both 2020 and 2023. However, he missed out on the FedEx Cup title to Dustin Johnson and Viktor Hovland respectively.
East Lake underwent some significant changes before the 2024 event. That did not appear to play to Schauffele’s strengths as he ended up 11 shots adrift of Scottie Scheffler – nine if you discount the starting strokes.
Nevertheless, he will be one of the players the rest of the top 30 will be worried about – if Schauffele does manage to book his ticket this week.
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