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BMW CHAMPIONSHIP

September 7, 2018

Xander Schauffele

Carmel, Indiana

JOHN BUSH: We'd like to welcome Xander Schauffele into the Interview Room following a 6-under par, 64. Currently at 127 through 36 holes, which is one shy of the best opening 36 hole score this season on Tour.

Xander, excellent play. If we can get some comments on your round.

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah. It was nice to back up the 63 with a 64, something I've never done in my career so good timing for that.

JOHN BUSH: You won the Rookie Of The Year honors last year, two wins, obviously win on the Tour Championship so I know coming in 41st in FedExCup standings, this is a very important week for you to try to get back to East Lake.

Are you thinking about that at this point?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: I'm very aware of where I stood coming into the week. Obviously 41st isn't what we wanted coming into the week but, you know, something good here would definitely help.

JOHN BUSH: Okay. Let's open it up to questions.

Q. Xander, you switched putters last week in Boston and seems to be paying off now. What goes into that switch and how quickly do you expect to it payoff?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: It's just a new look. You know, I feel like I'm pretty loyal to my gamer putter. I don't like to switch too much. I was getting tired of looking at the old one.

Q. Big difference in the look?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah. It is. It is black and white. This one is red. I think it's a Versa or something. Got two long parallel lines and a little line on top. We call it the Fang on Tour. It's a much different look.

Q. Xander, I guess I'll break the seal here, there's one more Ryder Cup pick, obviously. How much are you thinking about that and do you think this is a good place to kind show off for the Captain a little bit?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: You know, it's all a result. Obviously I thought a lot more about it the past couple of weeks. You know, I'm sort of in a position where I feel like a win is the only way I'd even be in consideration. I mean Tony obviously is the guy right now. He just shot 64 as well. He's not making it easy on anyone else trying to get on that team. So, you know, hats off to him for playing really well.

Q. What is the importance to you to get back to East Lake and what kind of life changing experience did you see last Tour Championship being for you?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah. I mean life changing is definitely the right way to put it. You know, would it mean a lot. There's a stat out there whoever won the Tour Championship never made the year back or the following year.

So, very aware of that and sort of had that in the back of my mind all year, wanting to just give myself a chance to win again.

So, you know, definitely happy with the start here.

Q. Xander, they talk about courses for different horses. Is there such a thing as a different time of a year for a different player? Your success at the end of the year, is there a reason for that?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah. It's a good question. My team and I are still trying to figure out as to why I can't perform that well at the beginning of the year. Probably something to do with the off-season.

But, for some reason this time of year I just -- something clicks and I decide to play a little bit better.

Q. Xander, I know every week you have big names but do you ever look at this leaderboard to see Woods, McIlroy, does that have any effect on the way you play?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: You know, used to. Solid veteran here my second year on Tour. I feel like I'm used to seeing the names. It is nice to see Tiger playing well. It's not a name I saw last year much, besides the cool factor of it, me growing up watching him golf.

It's kind of, you know, we're all in our office environment just trying to handle our own business.

Q. Xander, 63, 64 here at Aronimink. What is it about this course that seems to fit your eye and your game?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: So far I'd say the stats would point towards putting. Greens, the speed little slower which is sort of matching how I'm putting right now. Not very afraid on the greens. It's just soft and the fairways are generous. I feel like you can be aggressive, which is sort of the mentality I have right now.

Q. Xander, I'm just curious how you put the season in perspective, in that you haven't won but on the flip side you played well at The Players, you had a Top-10s in Majors.
How much do you gain from those kind of performances versus getting back into the winner's circle?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: A lot. If you look at my stats, on the way over here I was looking at my stats from Boston and through the year, sort of pump myself up.

My Sunday scoring average is pretty bad to be completely honest here, it's very poor and my Saturday isn't very good as well. A lot to prove not just to everyone else but to myself this weekend. I've been failing a lot so it would be nice to turn the switch and kind of clutch up.

Q. Follow-up question, could you expand a little bit about your year from January to now or last week?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Just a quick summary of the year?

Q. Yes, please.
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Coming in, high expectations. I feel like I haven't like -- I've been dealing with sort of being a higher ranked player in the world versus last year I sort of jumped into that Top 25 last year late so I didn't really know what came with it, you know, the responsibilities or talking to people, doing this and that and so I've been dealing more with practicing less; I feel like preparing smarter, stuff like that to get ready for the year and, you know, I manage to put myself in position to win a few times and wasn't really clutch on Sunday and, you know, I'm back here trying again.

Q. Two things, Xander. When you made that 40, 45 footer on 11, and I realize it's Friday but there was very little, just a walk to the cup and retrieve ball which made me just wonder how you would describe your pulse or just your excitement level and whether you show it or contain it?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Pulse, I don't know. I don't have a heartbeat monitor on me on the course.

Q. Bryson, does but go ahead.
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Maybe I should get one because it's been working for him. Yeah, I'm excited but I feel like I'm sort of on a mission here.

I have lots to prove to myself like I said before and I just want to win and just -- kind of handle my business and I feel like I haven't been doing that as well just on the weekends and maybe too relaxed or whatnot. I feel like I've sort of been a little more focused this week and a little more serious.

Q. Mission to do what?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Just prove to myself that I can win again and just be clutch. I always thought I was rather a clutch player coming down the stretch and this year has said otherwise. I'm trying to prove it to myself again.

Q. Lastly, how often does -- you say your dad travels with you. The reason I ask that, is there a point, and did you reach it sometime ago, something is off with your swing, you can fix it yourself?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah. I mean I sent him home these last two weeks because I felt like he's been with me quite a bit this year and I feel like he's got me in a good spot where I can just sort of free wheel it myself.

If things are a little off -- like today I didn't hit the driver that well. I can go on the range and sort of dial it back in and not worry too much about it.

Q. Couple more Tour Championship type questions.
Last year looking back on that, was it a strange experience for you to win a tournament but not win the biggest prize?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: You know, I honestly had no -- I was so blue I'd to be quite frank, I was just happy to win. I didn't really care about the ultimate prize at the end, you know, I was just happy to prove to myself that I can clutch up under the gun and all the money and everything else that came along with it was just a result.

Q. And along the life changing lines, specifically how did that change, either your perception of yourself or the perception of your peers and fans?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah. I mean people still have a hard time pronouncing my last name so that will never change but a few heys here and there.

Obviously with good play your peers will respect you some more so I think it was just more for me a really early establishment in my career first year out to do something that I did, sort of put me on the map and I'm just trying to stay relevant.

Q. Do you speak any languages?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: English.

Q. French?
XANDER SCHAUFFELE: I understand a few bad words in other languages.

JOHN BUSH: Of luck this weekend, Xander.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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