GENESIS SCOTTISH OPEN

July 10, 2022

Xander Schauffele

The Renaissance Club

Press Conference

CLARE BODEL: Genesis Scotth Open Champion, Xander Schauffele. First co-sanctioned event between the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, and Genesis being a sponsor this here. How does it feel to have that trophy?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: It's great to win the first event that's co-sanctioned between the two tours. It was an incredible week. Genesis has always put on -- the tournaments I have played they have always put on incredible events and I knew this was going to be no different and what an honour to win in the Home of Golf.

CLARE BODEL: You're in a bit of form, you won in Ireland and now a Rolex Series winner, Genesis Scottish Open winner. Can you give us a sense of how good your game feels right now?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Has a good ring to it.

Not very good today unfortunately. Would have been a little bit more stress free but not complaining either.

So overall, yes, I'm playing some of the best golf of my life and capitalising on playing really well. There's a lot of times all the top players, any player plays professionally plays very well but they don't get everything out of it and I feel like I've been successful in getting the most out of my game.

Q. How do you feel going into St Andrews next week?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: To be honest, a bit rushed. I've never played St Andrews. I've never played the Old Course South Africa a lot of homework to do.

I have to use this time, going down at eleven o'clock at night to my advantage to try to prepare to the best of my ability. Going to rely a lot on my caddie to do that. I'm tired. I've played a bit and I need a rest and I need to get ready for the week. I'm not even thinking about Sunday quite yet. I need to prepare.

Q. A lot of people mentioned outside that it's a bad omen --

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah, I don't --

Q. That you can do it --

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: I try not to listen to the media too much. I always enjoy talking to you guys but you guys are always the ones telling me this happened and that happened. Earlier this week a few reporters did that.

I'm not really sure what the historical deal is in terms of winning before a major but I'm not complaining whatsoever.

Q. Winning in Ireland, Japan, Scotland --

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: I do. My father is half-French, half-German. My mom is born in Taiwan and grew up in Japan. A lot of people think I'm Hispanic. It's a melting pot in my family and I've used it to my advantage to feel comfortable, make myself subject to new cultures and different foods and things of that nature. If you're not going to enjoy where you are, you're never going to play good golf and fortunately I enjoy playing everywhere.

Q. Last night after everyone finished, I saw you still pounding the ball until 8.30, 8.45 at night. What are you trying to find at that time and did you get that when you played the round today?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Just trying to waste time. Teeing off at 3.40 is pretty late.

I wasn't happy with the finish. Hit some squirrely shots that leaked into my round today. We know what it is. It's just, I've been playing a lot. I haven't really practiced, I'd say. So in preparation for next week, as much as I don't want to sit on the range and hit a few balls I probably need to. But that's all of us.

I just wanted to eat dinner with a good taste in my mouth, do my physio with a good taste in my mouth and sleep and knowing that the ball was kind of going where I wanted it to go.

Q. Are you plan to go take up membership of the DP World Tour, and is there a possibility that we might see you at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: It's a tricky one with the allegiance being formed recently, I'm not sure what the regulations are to be a member on the Tour. I used up my conditional membership early on in 2018, I believe. That's a one-time thing. It's a lot. I like to play. I love playing golf. Going across and doing both, it wears on you. I've always enjoy playing everywhere and if it makes sense, then I think my team and I will have a look at it and there's a good chance we do it if it makes sense and if I have to play that many events over here, it doesn't make sense. I don't really have an answer for you unfortunately.

Q. Is it safe to say there will be no celebration for tonight and you'll save it all for later?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: It's been a run. I'll have three weeks off after next week. So yeah, I don't think so. We're going to drive. There's a zero tolerance here so I'm sure no one is going to be drinking tonight on the way over to the Old Course.

Q. Can you share with us your first links golf experience and was it always love at first sight or was it the type of game that you struggled with to begin with?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: I don't want to insult anyone from Scotland or anyone in Ireland that knows true links but I played in Oregon when I was at 13 at Bandon Dunes at the property there where they tried to create what links golf would be in the US, did a pretty good job of it.

Obviously doesn't compare to here with the history and everything but yeah, I don't know if it was love at first sight but I did enjoy playing with winds blowing 30 and playing the ball down closer to the ground and you know, it being okay to sort of aim 100 yards away from a bunker you can't go in and just play from there. It's just fun golf for me.

Q. You've played with Bob MacIntyre in the first two rounds here, he spoke about your demeanor, how you've got a great demeanor on the golf course, and you never get up or down. Today after you dropped those three shots in quick succession, was that a good example of how you stay calm and composed on a golf course? Have you always been like that?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah, I'm sure I was yelling at myself inside -- inaudible -- it's just work, there's no point.

Q. You said the Zurich Classic got you over the hump. What did it do for you exactly?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: It's winning. Knowing what it's like to hold a trophy and remembering what it's like to hold a trophy. Everyone always talks about how hard it is and today was no different. A couple weeks ago it was no different. You needed things to go your way and get good bounces. Once I parred 17 today, that 18th hole is so hard, just I knew if I can make that par, you know, it was the difference between trying to hit driver off 18 and maybe not again getting a playoff and then a couple 3-irons. Just winning.

Q. The fans and atmosphere here, absolutely magnificent. Is that positive energy something that you can really feed off at the Old Course next week?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: I think so. I'm sure they are going to be showing up in many bunches next week. Everybody is excited. It's the 150th. Yeah, it's always nice to play in front of fans over here. They understand golf and they know what a good and a bad shot looks like.

Q. I know you said nobody is going to be drinking tonight but will you go smoke a cigar?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: There's a chance one of my dad's friend is out here and we gave him a couple, so I think that's legal to do in the car, isn't it?

Q. Yeah, absolutely. I know you spoke about the fact that you have a lack of preparation and knowledge of St Andrews but when you get on a run like this, you won the last three times you've been on a golf course basically, do you feel like you can overcome anything?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah. Good golf is good golf. I it's like you said capitalising when you're playing well is the most important thing. Usually when I have more information, I feel more confidential and at times when you don't know as. Sometimes you can use that to your an as well. We'll see how much preparation we can do next week in addition in the next three days.

Q. What is the thing that you are really looking forward to at St Andrews?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Just being on property. You know, I'm not really one to get too excited to go to a new golf course but I'm pretty excited to go to that one and I just want to -- it's going to be nice to just walk on property. It would have been cool to go with no fans and then to see it with fans, I missed out on that, which I'm totally fine with. But I'm just excited to walk the course.

CLARE BODEL: Thank you, everyone.