Xander Schauffele: Proposed PGA Tour plan ‘sounds terrible’

There have been plenty of proposals put forward about how the post-merger golf world might look.

While Jay Monahan remains tight-lipped on proceedings, the leading opinion is that the regular PGA Tour season will run from January to September, as it does now, with a LIV Golf League-style “International Series” taking place in between.

The problem? The big names want to play fewer golf tournaments – to the point where it almost became a catchphrase for those who decided to jump ship when Greg Norman and his blank cheque book came calling.

And, like others who have gone the full distance in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, Xander Schauffele is not keen for the calendar to be extended.

At last week’s BMW Championship, Schauffele admitted that his “patience bucket” was drained after a long season that saw him make his major breakthrough at the PGA Championship before adding The Open in July. And it’s a concern for the world number two as he looks to finish the campaign as the FedEx Cup champion and all the riches that brings.

“I can feel myself get to the edge quicker, more frustrated quicker,” he explained ahead of this week’s season-ending Tour Championship. “You have to check yourself a lot whenever you’re trying to compete. I know I’m my best when I’m patient and when I’m calm, and if I’m starting to get really frustrated about things that aren’t fair, it doesn’t matter. You’re still trying to win a tournament. That stuff gets pushed to the side.

“I’ve got my wife and my dogs out here this week, so they’re helping me with my patience bucket filling, I should say. I’m trying my best to fill that bucket up. Whether it’s trying to go to bed an hour earlier or eat dinner an hour earlier, or just trying to chill out a little bit more. I’d like to think chilling out is one of my strengths.”

• Lydia Ko issues retirement update after huge wins

• One thing has ‘frustrated’ Scottie Scheffler ahead of Tour showdown

Part of Schauffele’s planning is a full pre-season of preparation before a return in Hawaii in the New Year – with one exception in October.

“I’m going to go overseas to Japan to play the Zozo,” Schauffele, whose mother, Chen Ping-Yi, grew up in the country, said. “That’s the only event I’m going to play this off-season.

“I’m excited for my trip to Japan. I always am. It’s a warm and fuzzy place for me.”

So he wouldn’t be interested in any kind of off-season series – international or otherwise?

“To tack on multiple events would probably be tough,” he said. “Right now, it sounds terrible.”

Then, jokingly, he added: “But my brother’s bachelor party next week sounds terrible, too!

“I’m in a place where I’m trying to get over this finish line and play some really good golf coming in so I can enjoy myself.”

Back to the drawing board for Monahan and co.

Are you subscribed to The bunkered Podcast? You should be!

Alex Perry is the Associate Editor of bunkered. A journalist for more than 20 years, he has been a golf industry stalwart for the majority of his career and, in a five-year spell at ESPN, covered every sporting event you can think of. He completed his own Grand Slam at the 2023 Masters, having fallen in love with the sport at his hometown club of Okehampton and on the links of nearby Bude & North Cornwall.

Associate Editor