Xander Schauffele wasn’t happy with his Olympics Games performance and here is why
After failing to medal, the American was open about his Olympic disappointment and the emotional difference in comparison with the professional circuit.
Having won both the PGA Championship and the Open Championship earlier this year, the American was understandably disappointed to not continue his winning ways. That said, the idea of participating n the Olympic Games was not lost on one of golf’s biggest stars at the moment.
Xander Schauffele is not happy with his Olympic performance.
By now it should be clear that regardless of what fame and success any athlete enjoys in their respective sport, there’s nothing quite like competing in the Olympic Games. To that end, it should come as no surprise that Team USA’s Xander Schauffele had no problems admitting that his final-round performance at the Olympic golf tournament - he did not medal - left him feeling a very different sense of disappointment in comparison with that which he has felt in the past when he failed to win on the PGA Tour.
To be clear, had Schauffele finished on the podium, it would have been the second consecutive time that he did so at an Olympic Games. Alas, it was not to be as the now two-time major winner fell behind in the final round and ultimately, was the only player among the top 10 at Le Golf National who shot over par. It was the 30-year-old’s countryman and current world no. 1, Scottie Scheffler, who took gold, while Great Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood claimed silver, and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama got his hands on a bronze. It’s also worth noting that all of them will be in the field when this week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship tees off. As for Schauffele, it’s interesting to note that he was quick to open up about the challenge of regaining the mental confidence that saw him win the British Open at Royal Troon just a few weeks ago, a victory that marked his second major title of the year after capturing the PGA Championship in May.
“I take pride in finishing strong, and to do that was I was pretty bummed out,” said Schauffele, whose final-round 72 resulted in a tie for ninth. “I went from thinking I could have a good look at gold to maybe silver, then to bronze, and then to, ‘wow, I’m just spectating now.’ That’s sort of what happened the last seven, eight holes of that tournament. So that was a bit of a bummer, especially with how the fans were out there. It must have been such a cool feeling to be in the hunt with important shots coming down that stretch, (holes) 15 to 18. ...I sat down with (coach) Chris (Como) already, sort of identified what happened. I don’t want to get back into my old habits that I’ve been trying to get out of in these last two or three months working with him, and I think some old ones sort of slipped in there. When I tried to put my foot down, it got worse, and I paid the price for it heavily.”
If there is something that Schauffele can take comfort in, it’s the fact that he will enter the FedEx Cup playoffs in second place behind the above-mentioned Scheffler. “It’s weird; I’m not going to lie,” Schauffele said. “It’s the weirdest feeling. I was watching from the sort of family section, the podium, and when Scottie was up there and our (USA) flag was raised and he started crying up there, I was butt-hurt about my own round, and then I was sitting there like, yeah, this is pretty cool. ...I can be rational most times, but I felt so emotional in that state to where I was butt-hurt about how I played and then sort of proud and happy that Scottie won it. It’s such a...it’s hard to explain, the swing of it. Then out here this week playing with him these next two days and we’re all just trying to beat our heads in. It’s a funny feeling.”