Xander Schauffele

Schauffele started to play golf at age 9. Was taught by his father, who was a PGA-Aloha section professional. He now plays out of Bernardo Heights Country Club in San Diego. Although born in La Jolla, California, his family tree encompasses four nationalities. His mother is from Chinese Taipei (but grew up in Japan) and his father is half-French and German.
Was voted Big West Freshman of the Year while attending Long Beach State in 2011-12. Was a two-time Southern California Amateur runner-up (2012-13), and won the 2014 California State Amateur. Earned All-American honors in 2014-15 at San Diego State University.
After turning professional in 2015, played in two Korn Ferry Tour events, missing the cut at the Stonebrae Classic and finishing T-42nd at the News Sentinel Open. At the end of the year, got through Korn Ferry Tour Q-School, finishing T-45th to earn a spot on the tour in 2016.
2016 Korn Ferry Tour Summary: Tournaments Entered - 23; Rounds Played - 75; In Money - 14; Top-10 Finishes - 4; Scoring Average - 69.51 (Rank 32nd); Money - $149,292 (Rank 26th); Best Finish - 3rd, Utah Championship, T-3rd Ellie Mae Classic. Finished as the bubble boy in the regular season at 26th on the Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season money list, falling $975 short of 25th place and a PGA Tour card. Secured his PGA Tour card for the 2016-17 season with a T-9th finish at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship to clinch one of the 25 PGA Tour cards earned during the Korn Ferry Tour Finals.
2017 Notes: In just his second start, had his first top-10 result, a T-5th at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Also finished T-5th at the U.S. Open. His big moment came three weeks later at the Greenbrier Classic when he birdied two of the last three holes, highlighted by a pitching wedge from 161 yards to three feet, three inches for birdie at the 18th hole, en route to a one-shot win over Robert Streb. His first PGA Tour victory came in his 23rd start at age 23 years, 8 months and 14 days, becoming the 12th player under the age of 25 to win on the PGA Tour for the year, the most since 1970. The victory secured his berth at Royal Birkdale for the British Open, where he finished T-20th. Made it into the FedExCup Playoffs comfortably by finishing 33rd in the standings. A T-17th at the Northern Trust, T-53rd at the Dell Technologies Championship and T-20th at the BMW Championship, moved him to 26th on the points list to join the field for the season-ending Tour Championship. Rounds of 69-66-65-68 enabled him to defeat Justin Thomas, who would be the FedExCup champion, by a shot. Schauffele became the first rookie to win the Tour Championship and he climbed to 3rd place in the final FedExCup standings. He also won Rookie of the Year honors, the first rookie to win twice on the PGA Tour since Keegan Bradley in 2011.
2018 Notes: Played 27 PGA Tour events, making 22 cuts with seven top-10 finishes. Was 15th in the FedExCup standings. In his first start of the year, finished T-3rd at the CIMB Classic. Finished T-3rd at the Dunlop Phoenix on the Japan Golf Tour, nine shots behind winner Brooks Koepka. Added another top-10 with a T-9th at the Genesis Open. Was T-2nd at The Players Championship, four shots behind winner Webb Simpson. At the U.S. Open, he placed T-6th, his second consecutive top-six finish at the major. Played in the final pairing at the British Open en route to a T-2nd finish, his third top-10 in just six major championship appearances (T-5th/2017 U.S. Open, T-6th/2018 U.S. Open, T-2nd/2018 British Open). Shared the 54-hole lead with Kevin Kisner and Jordan Spieth at nine-under. Suffered a bogey-bogey-double bogey stretch on the front nine (holes 5, 6 and 7) of the final round, but rallied with birdies at 10 and 14 to reclaim a share of the lead, tied with Francesco Molinari at 7-under. While Molinari finished at eight-under, Schauffele dropped a shot at the 17th to fall two shots behind Molinari. At the FedExCup playoffs, was T-3rd at the BMW Championship, one shot out of the Bradley/Rose playoff. He failed to defend his Tour Championship, finishing T-7th.
2019 Notes: Won the WGC-HSBC Champions in a playoff over Tony Finau. It was his third PGA Tour start in his 60th Tour start at age of 25 years, 3 days. At the Sentry Tournament of Champions, went into the final round five shots behind leader Gary Woodland. Fired an 11-under-par 62 to defeat Woodland by a shot. Had a T-10th result at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. After an opening round of 73 at the Masters, shot rounds of 65-70-68 to finish T-2nd, just a shot back of winner Tiger Woods. In 12 starts in the Majors and Players Championship, he has six finishes of T-6th and better. His latest was at the U.S. Open were he finished T-3rd, 6 ahots back of winner Gary Woodland.