Schauffele Seeks Third Major Win at the Masters

Xander Schauffele is embracing the underdog role ahead of the 89th Masters, seeking his third major win after a breakthrough year.

World number three Xander Schauffele is embracing the underdog role ahead of the 89th Masters. The 31-year-old American has been dealing with a rib injury but remains focused on chasing his third victory in four majors.

“It’s nice to be under the radar,” Schauffele said, reflecting on his current status. He believes that being underestimated can work to his advantage, having experienced this firsthand when winning his first major titles at the PGA Championship and British Open last year.

“It's sort of how people would talk about me when I was playing well,” Schauffele said.

“I haven't been in great form but the only thing that matters is that I think I can win and my team thinks I can win, and everyone else can just talk about whatever they talk about.”

After an early season injury layoff and a battle to improve, Schauffele said he feels he can capture a green jacket this week at August National.

“I don't think I would be here if I didn't," Schauffele said.

“I know what I'm capable of when I'm feeling good, when I'm not thinking of anything but getting the ball in the hole. It has been a process to get back to that.

Xander Schauffele opened up about putting pressure on himself before finally breaking through.

The American heads to Augusta looking to win three out of the last four majors. #theMasters pic.twitter.com/Fqi0cA1hjb

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) April 8, 2025

“I don't have a ton of reps doing it, but there's a lot for me to draw back on, previous accomplishments to sort of let that confidence grow.”

Tokyo Olympic champion Xander Schauffele made a significant breakthrough last May, winning the PGA Championship at Valhalla after 12 major top-10 finishes without a victory. He added to his major trophy haul by winning the British Open at Royal Troon last July.

“Last year I was firing on close to all cylinders at some points,” Schauffele said, reflecting on his recent successes. “So there needs to be a lot of self-belief that I can get back to that spot and that's kind of where I'm laying my head to rest.” As the third-ranked player, Schauffele feels more confident at Augusta National, where he is competing for the first time as a major winner.

“That goes for every major I play in now,” he said. “If I can get myself in a good spot -- I'm going to fail at times -- but man, I think I can deal with it a lot better than I used to be able to before winning.”

Managing the wind at Amen Corner is no easy feat but Tiger Woods conquered it in 2019.

🔊 Hear how Xander Schauffele remembers it. pic.twitter.com/zBAuNQXcVb

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Schauffele's Road to Recovery

Xander Schauffele's recent performances have been a mixed bag, with finishes including 30th at the PGA Tour's season-opening event, 40th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and 72nd at The Players Championship. However, he showed signs of improvement at the Valspar Championship, where he shared 12th place and fired a season-best 66 on Sunday.

Schauffele believes he's turned a corner in his recovery over the past month, both mentally and physically. “I've never really dealt with injury before, so I've never really been sidelined,” he said. “I'm trying to find all the positives to attach to the situation.” Schauffele's mindset has shifted to focusing on the benefits of his experience, embracing the idea that “cooler to be closer” to a breakthrough.