As Xander Schauffele prepares to defend his Open Championship crown, the American star is approaching the moment with brutal honesty and a deep sense of perspective.
The reigning Open champion returns to Royal Portrush after a year marked by both triumph and adversity, determined to recapture the form that brought him two major titles in 2024 and to reflect on the journey that has shaped his career.
Schauffele’s 2024 season was the pinnacle of his career, with victories at both the PGA Championship and The Open. His 2025 season has been in total contrast, with challenges on all sides.
A cartilage tear and intercostal strain forced him to take time off, and his return to competition has been challenging. “It’s just bad across the board,” Schauffele admitted. “I mean, there’s a lot of parts. There isn’t just one”. Despite the struggles, he remains philosophical. “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 O.K. It’s been a pretty bad year to be completely honest”.
Still, amidst all the challenges, the world number three remains in high spirits and even shared how he felt upon entering the media centre and seeing a picture of himself near the toilet: “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. I actually chuckled when I saw that one.”
He went on to point out that it’s not been easy staying positive in light of his recent issues, and that may be affecting his performance: “I think the best part of my game has probably been my mental 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.”
Schauffele still maintains hope as he seeks to get back in form ahead of his title defence next week: “I think I’ve just been angry-ish. That’s like been the biggest emotion of this is frustrating, versus why we love playing to be in contention and kind of see what you can do. But that part’s been humbling.
“So you know, it’s a battle, and I’m going to try and win it.”
