Sign up for our daily newsletter

Latest news, reviews, analysis and opinion, plus unmissable deals for bunkered subscriptions, events, and our commercial partners.

Xander Schauffele has found his voice!

After winning two of the last three major championships – including The 152nd Open at Royal Troon under a fortnight ago – the 30-year-old is one of the hottest properties in the game right now.

Previously plagued by accusations of being ‘boring’ and a poor closer, Schauffele is a man reborn, both on and off the course.

The trophies speak for themselves but, as to the off-course stuff, consider an appearance made by the American on a US podcast earlier this week.

Appearing on Pardon My Take, Schauffele’s style was mocked mercilessly by the hosts. After they took shots at his Adidas shoes, the reigning Olympic gold medallist was compared to a waiter who “kind of look like a server, pass me some bacon-wrapped scallops”.

• Brandel Chamblee takes (yet another) huge swipe at LIV Golf

• Gary Player’s Claret Jug fetches eye-watering sum at auction

All good-natured banter, but Schauffele was ready for it.

“That’s humbling,” he smiled. “I got nothing for you. Adidas is my shoe sponsor and they wanted me to wear contrasting colours.

“I don’t give a sh*t what I look like quite honestly.

“I don’t have to look at me when I’m playing. I do have to look at my shoes. I do feel good so, as long as I feel good, and the shoes are shoes.

“I wore those black shoes at the fricking PGA and won with them.”

The fun exchange forms a small part of a fun interview that is well worth a listen. Click here and skip forward to the 1h55m mark to tune-in.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters ahead of this week’s men’s Olympic golf competition in Paris, defending champion Schauffele admitted he’s still not entirely sure how to rank the gold medal he won in Tokyo three years ago.

• Irish Government to consider proposals for Open bid

• Tommy Fleetwood ‘heartbroken’ by Southport attacks

“It’s tricky. Golf was in the Olympics and then it was out of the Olympics. So, I think a lot of the kids were watching Tiger, or if you’re a little bit older, you’re watching Jack or Arnie, the older legends of the game. You’re watching them win majors.

“For me it’s very personal, my relationship with my dad, the relationship my dad and I have with golf, a lot of is sort of surrounding his teachings of when he was trying to be an Olympian.

“Then the majors are sort of what I grew up watching. They are two very different things to me. I think the gold medal, it’s been marinating nicely. Maybe in 30, 40 years, it’s something that’s really going to be special as it gets more traction and it kind of gets back into the eyes or into the normalcy of being in the Olympics.

“It’s still so young coming off of, I don’t know, what was it, like 1903 was the last time it was in the Olympics, something like that.”

More Reads

Image Turnberry green

The bunkered Golf Course Guide - Scotland

Now, with bunkered, you can discover the golf courses Scotland has to offer. Trust us, you will not be disappointed.

Find Courses