Xander Schauffele was in scintillating form on Friday at the Baycurrent Classic, as he fired a superb round of 63 to vault himself back into contention.
Schauffele has experienced a really challenging 2025 season on the PGA Tour, and he is still waiting for his first win since the 2024 Open Championship.
The nine-time PGA Tour winner missed the first two months of 2025 after suffering a small cartilage tear and an intercostal strain just after playing in the season-opener in Hawaii.
Due to his underwhelming play throughout the season, Schauffele’s impressive form at the Ryder Cup came as a real surprise to everyone.
And it seems as though he has carried that form on into the Baycurrent Classic this week.
Schauffele skipped the Procore Championship back in September after his wife gave birth to their child, but he could now be reinvigorated as a result of the five weeks that he spent away from the game.
Xander Schauffele says what’s been ‘crazy’ about the Baycurrent Classic course
The 31-year-old has Japanese heritage, so winning at Yokohama Country Club this week would be extra special for him.
He is in a great position to get a win in Japan, just like he did in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Schauffele is currently sitting in a tie for second place at Yokohama Country Club, four shots adrift of the leader, Max Greyserman.
He spoke after his round of 63 on Friday and admitted that it has been ‘crazy’ to play the golf course in two completely different ways through the first two rounds in Japan.
He said: “Yeah, it was nice to get off to a good start. I was actually pretty content with yesterday, just trying to survive.
“Crazy to play this course in two completely different ways so like I said, nice to get off to a good start and sort of finish strong.
About how he feels after a tough season following his return from injury in March…
“Just confidence. That’s kind of the biggest thing. Every tour pro knows there are times when you’re playing well and things are flowing and you don’t really think a whole lot about your swing or technical things at all.
“So just trying to get back to a little bit more of that for the rest of this year and in the new year.“
Xander Schauffele’s Baycurrent Classic stats
Schauffele was at his imperious best on Friday at Yokohama Country Club.
He made eight birdies and 10 pars in his round of 63, but how did his stats stack up against the rest of the field?
| Stats | Schauffele’s rank |
| Strokes gained off the tee | 8 |
| Strokes gained approach | 44 |
| Strokes gained around the green | 23 |
| Strokes gained putting | 7 |
| Strokes gained total | T-2 |
From those numbers, it’s clear to see that Schauffele has excelled with his driver and his putter this week.
If Schauffele manages to tighten up his iron play, there is every chance that he will win the Baycurrent Classic.
If he is triumphant this week, it would be a huge confidence boost for him ahead of the 2026 PGA Tour season.
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