Upset Xander Schauffele admits he has a big problem right now, ‘it’s what’s driving me crazy’

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Xander Schauffele has really struggled to rediscover the form he showed in 2024 so far this season.

Schauffele missed the first two months of the season after suffering a small cartilage tear and an intercostal strain.

And returning to his best has proven to be more challenging than he first thought it would be.

There have been some encouraging moments, including Schauffele’s ninth consecutive top-15 finish at the US Open back in June at Oakmont.

He still hasn’t missed a cut in 67 events and counting, so it’s not all doom and gloom for the 31-year-old.

Schauffele’s driving has been problematic for him this season, and he has to improve in that department if he is to win again any time soon.

However, it’s more than just his driving that is proving to be an issue for him at the moment.

Upset Xander Schauffele admits he has a big problem right now

It’s clear to see the injury problems that Schauffele suffered with at the start of the season have hindered his progress in 2025.

The thing is, players like the two-time major champion are never too far away from returning to their best.

And it really is a case of keeping the faith for the 31-year-old at the moment.

Schauffele was asked about the confidence level in his game right now.

He responded: “Everything I’d say the belief is good. I don’t think I’ve given myself a lot of reasons to believe that I’m playing okay. It’s been a pretty bad year to be completely honest.

“So I’m definitely looking forward to — I feel like I haven’t tried to add on too many other events, and I’ve tried to just play to an incredible — get to an incredible place with less starts, which is really hard to do these days.

“I’m trying to do a lot of things, and I think the best part of my game has probably been my mental just fortitude, whatever you want to call it, just to try to stay positive and behave as if I am playing really well. But coming off a year like last year, getting hurt, coming back, my expectations and playing ability have not cued up very nicely.“

He was then asked what is the biggest thing he has learned about himself this season.

Schauffele said:  “Well, I knew I was stubborn. I don’t know if I learned that bit. But I’m not sure. I think I’m — you know, there’s no — I don’t feel too stressed. I’m very upset with how I’ve been playing. I’ve just really taken on this mindset of I looked at sort of how I would behave when things are going really well. You know, there’s no need to be bipolar. Just make it as genuine as possible. If I’m shooting 80, I really don’t want anyone to look at me on the course and be like, that kid’s shooting 80. Doesn’t matter. I don’t care if guys get mad or sad or smash clubs or whatever. This is just a me thing. I know when I’m playing really well, I behave a certain way and my mind in a certain place. I’m just trying to rinse and repeat and plug myself in that position.

“Yeah, the year — I still have a few tournaments this year, and we’ll see what I can do.“

And finally, Schauffele was asked whether he’s desperate to be talked about again as a potential world number one.

The American said: “I don’t go to bed at night saying, you know, please talk about me, you know. It was nice to see my photo out by the toilet. That was heartwarming. Summed up how I feel about what’s going on right now. (Laughter) I actually chuckled when I saw that one.

“But no, I don’t play for those reasons. I really just want to play good golf. I mean, I’m pretty content with myself. I definitely feel happy when I’m — frustrated, but in general, what would make me really happy is that I can just play freely. I think the obstacles of trying to play really good golf and then playing bad golf and then just fiddling all day long is really what drives me nuts. It’s why we love the game but it’s what’s driving me crazy.

“So if I can just get out of my own way, that would be the thing that would make me happiest right now more than even winning a tournament. That would just be the result.“

So Schauffele is clearly aware of how much he needs to improve. A little patience will go a long way because let’s face it, on his day he’s one of the best players on the planet.

Xander Schauffele’s stats in 2025 vs 2024

The world number three is outside of his comfort zone right now, because he doesn’t actually know where his ball is heading, and that’s a scary thought for any pro golfer.

Here is how his numbers look from this season in comparison to his stats from 2024:

Two of his key historical strengths – driving and putting – have become weaknesses for him this season.

And if Schauffele is to start winning again, he needs to address those two aspects of his game as soon as possible.