Xander Schauffele has experienced somewhat of a challenging 2025 season so far.
However, Schauffele will still be hopeful of peaking at some point over the next three months, so that he has a chance to add to his major collection.
Schauffele has admitted that he’s been suffering with anxiety since returning to playing competitively after an injury kept him out for two months.
He attributed those anxious feelings to the fact that he feels like numerous players are passing him by with their exceptional play this season.
The 31-year-old Californian is clearly still very rusty, but he does have three consecutive top-20 PGA Tour finishes to his name.
At The RBC Heritage last week, Schauffele described how difficult it was for him to catch Justin Thomas, after his friend’s first round 10-under par 61.
Schauffele needs to be patient though. He is becoming more competitive with every single week that passes, and nobody would be shocked to see him end the year as a multiple winner.
Xander Schauffele reveals what he’s heard about Oakmont ahead of the US Open
Schauffele has an incredible record in The US Open.
He has played eight times in the championship, and hasn’t finished outside the top-14 once.
The 31-year-old has three top-five finishes to his name in the US Open, and had five consecutive top-10’s, until his streak was broken in 2022 when he tied for 14th.
Despite his rustiness this season, Schauffele will still head to Oakmont as one of the favourites to win.
The championship course in Pennsylvania has played host to The US Open nine times, most recently in 2016 when Dustin Johnson ended the week victorious.
The US Open has never been won by a score better than five-under par when Oakmont has been the venue, and it will clearly represent a very difficult challenge this year as well.
Schauffele spoke to reporters on Monday during a PGA Championship media day at Quail Hollow, when conversation switched to the upcoming US Open in June.
The American two-time major winner shared what he’s been hearing about Oakmont from his fellow tour pros:
“Oakmont, I’ve heard, is the hardest course, pretty much every TOUR pro that I’ve talked to that has ever played. I’m excited to go on to see what everyone is talking about. I’ve never played there. May try and sneak out for a first look coming up here at some point.”
Oakmont will clearly be incredibly difficult this year, and that’s exactly how US Opens should be.
Should Schauffele be part of the USA Ryder Cup team in September?
He will undoubtedly be at Bethpage later this year, but what if he doesn’t rediscover his form between now and then?
Dan Rapaport has suggested that Schauffele is guaranteed to be part of Team USA at the Ryder Cup laster this year:
“One of those who is definitely going to be there is Xander Schauffele. So, we talk about Scottie having a little bit of a slow start this year, Xander has had an even slower start, his injury was a little bit more severe, and he missed more time. But what I’m just so impressed by is that he has 11 straight finishes of T-18 or better in the majors – that’s almost three full years of major championships finishing T-18 or better. You know what you’re getting, obviously two majors last year. He plays with Cantlay, he plays with Morikawa, he’s part of our backbone. He’s part of that Scottie, Xander, JT backbone, so Xander is still a no-brainer.”
Rapaport is spot on about the 31-year-old. He will undoubtedly be at Bethpage Black in September to help try and wrestle the trophy back from the Europeans.
However, Schauffele would absolutely love it if he could seal his place on the team by winning a major championship.
And where better for him to do just that than at the US Open at Oakmont in June.
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