Source Close to Xander Schauffele Drops Overlooked Reason Why He Shouldn’t be ‘Slept On’ Ahead of PGA Championship

Xander Schauffele’s game is taking a hit with no signs of recovery in sight. The golfer started the season with a disappointing T30 finish at The Sentry, and his game only went down after that. “It’s pretty gross, to be completely honest”, Schauffele said, speaking about his gameplay after the first round of the PLAYERS Championship, where he ultimately took the 72nd position spot on the leaderboard. For Schauffele, that seemed to be the last straw as the golfer decided enough was enough and went on to score an amazing 5 under par at the Masters and land in T8.

But does that mean the golfer is ready for the next major championship? Well, the answer is somewhat complicated. Schauffele, who won the 2024 PGA Championship in all his glory, with a beautiful final score of 21 under, has his fair share of doubts about acing the 2025 edition of the major. The 2-time-major champion believes his injury has made him feel sidelined, and he’s been through a range of emotions about it. Before the 2025 Masters, Schauffele admitted that he didn’t feel unlucky about the injury extinguishing his momentum. “Definitely didn’t feel unlucky. I felt dumb at one point, sort of being at the brunt of it’s my fault.” But these golf analysts beg to differ.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Smylie Kaufman Show on YouTube, Charlie Hulme and Smylie Kaufman discussed Schauffele’s chances at the PGA Championship. Hulme noted that Schauffele had a tough start to the year, but “He acquitted himself well from the early going and played some good golf there for a while.” Kaufman was asked if Schauffele could be a sleeper pick, and he responded, “I think he could repeat, I really do. I think Xander Schauffele is 100% going to be slept on coming into this week.” But he also noted the one thing that his holding him back, which ironically was his secret weapon at the 2024 PGA Championship

Kaufman, who is a close friend of the golfer, attributed his potential underestimation to his poor putting stats this year, saying, “The putter has been very poor for him.” Well, it is true. The putter that helped Schauffele clinch his first major win has been his biggest drawback this year. Despite his success with the Odyssey Toulon Las Vegas CH Xander Prototype Putter in the past, Schauffele has been struggling with his putting game, admitting to feeling “pretty bad” with his putting and scrambling. He’s now actively seeking solutions, experimenting with different grips, seeking professional advice to regain his consistency, and is even aiming for a grand slam. 

However, Kaufman also highlighted Schauffele’s exceptional putting skills last season, stating, “If we go back to last season, he’s clearly the best putter of the entire best players in the world.” Kaufman expects Schauffele’s putting to improve, noting, “I don’t foresee that to continue… That’s to me seems like something that’s totally fixable.” With Schauffele’s strong iron game and potential for improvement, Kaufman concluded, “I love Xander Schauffele’s chances.” 

MONTREAL, QUEBEC – SEPTEMBER 25: Xander Schauffele of the U.S. Team gestures on the 17th green during a practice round prior to the 2024 Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Club on September 25, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Well, Schauffele’s iron game has indeed been strong, thanks to his Callaway Apex TCB irons, which are specifically designed to meet his needs. He pairs these irons with a Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond driver and a Callaway Elyte HL 3-wood. Schauffele’s excellent ball-striking ability has been a hallmark of his game. However, his chances of winning the second major of the season comes down to one thing and one thing only: his putting. Speaking of putting, did you know that Schauffele’s putting skills have helped another golfer snatch a trophy?

Justin Thomas credited his latest win to Xander Schauffele

Justin Thomas thinks Xander Schauffele is one of the ‘best putters’ out there. After his win at the RBC Heritage, Thomas credited Schauffele for helping him turn his putting around. “I think he’s one of the best putters in fundamentals – and not just putting but everything,” Thomas said. The two had a session where Schauffele answered Thomas’s questions about putting, and Thomas realized he had strayed from the techniques that worked for him in the past. “I don’t do any of the things that I used to do in my best putting years,” Thomas admitted.

However, Schauffele downplays his role in Thomas’s improvement. “I don’t think I really have anything to do with him winning. He maybe gave me too much credit,” Schauffele said. According to Schauffele, the session was more about Thomas asking questions and figuring things out for himself. “Felt like all the answers were right in front of him. J.T. is so good that he figured it out pretty quickly,” Schauffele said. Thomas’s strong putting week helped him jump from 174th to 24th in strokes gained putting on the season, culminating in his RBC Heritage win. So, do you think Schauffele’s skills will finally work for him at the 2025 PGA Championship? Let us know in the comment section below!

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