Xander Schauffele
Height: 5 ft, 10 in
Weight: 165 lb
Birthday: October 25, 1993
College: San Diego State University (Social Sciences, 2015)
Year Turned Pro: 2015
Birthplace: La Jolla, California
Country: USA
Sponsor: TaylorMade Golf Company
Of the five names on our list, Xander Schauffele is certainly the one which stands out from the rest. Not that Schauffele isn’t an outstanding player – he is – but he does not yet have the name recognition that the others carry with them. While Jon Rahm is also quite new to the professional golf stage, he was a star collegiate player and amateur who drew plenty of attention before he ever turned pro. Schauffele had plenty of his own amateur success, but was relatively unknown before breaking out with a big 2017.
To say that Schauffele is still new to the world of professional golf would be an understatement. At this point, he has played just three major championships in his career, with his first appearance at a major coming in the 2017 U.S. Open. It was quite a debut, as he finished in a tie for fifth. This strong showing secured his place in the 2018 U.S. Open, and it also set in motion what would be a great year. He followed that major debut with a tie for 20th at The Open Championship, and a missed cut at the PGA Championship.
It was actually away from the majors where Schauffele made his biggest mark in 2017. First, he took home the title at the Greenbrier Classic. Firing a total score of 14-under-par, he edged out Robert Streb by a single stroke. That victory brought with it plenty of exemptions to secure his place in future events, along with a big paycheck, of course. If that was the highlight of his rookie year on the PGA Tour, Schauffele would have certainly been happy with his play. But the best was yet to come.
In the final event of the season, Schauffele emerged victorious in the Tour Championship. He posted a total of 12-under-par at East Lake in Atlanta, beating out Player of the Year – and FedEx Cup Champion – Justin Thomas by a single stroke. Needless to say, this victory was a life-changing moment for Schauffele, as it moved him to third place on the FedEx list and greatly advanced his profile moving forward. No longer flying under the radar, he is now firmly included in the list of great young players who are helping lead the way for the future of golf.
