THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 16, 2024

Xander Schauffele

TPC Sawgrass

Quick Quotes

Q. What was working so well today? You seemed to have everything working.

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah, I mean, I only hit two fairways on the back nine. I was just told that on radio. Don't feel bad for me. When you make 58-footers, you kind of get up-and-down on holes like 18 from the front rough, it takes a little bit of stress off certain parts of your game.

All in all, it was a bit of a grind. Wind was swirling a little bit for both of us, for everyone out there on the back nine. Just was happy to stay in it and move on moving day.

Q. You were asked yesterday what you wanted to improve working with Chris Como. Is this sort of the fruits of that? What were you looking to get better and is this the byproduct of it?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah, I think there's still a few things I'm not super comfortable with. We talk about it all the time. But a steady drip caves a stone and we both believe that's the case, and that's what we're going to do.

Q. What impressed you today in the shots that you hit? Was there one shot or two shots that you looked and said, wow, that worked out really well?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: I'd say it was kind of more how I carried myself. At times in the past I'll get a bit ahead of myself and lose a little bit of confidence when I shouldn't. Today I tried to stay in my own little box there with Austin and not look at too many leaderboards when I didn't have to, just because it's Saturday, there's no need to do that. I heard roars all around the property and I really just kind of stayed in my lane.

Q. Obviously a lot of people went low today, you being one of them. Do you foresee something like that needed tomorrow? How do you approach tomorrow?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Probably pretty similar, to be honest. I'm going to go to the range right now and try and clean up some of those missed fairways on the back nine. When you hit a lot of fairways out here you can get some scoring clubs in your hand, and with the greens being receptive you can fire at some pins. It could be low tomorrow, but for the most part I'm going to try and enjoy myself and stay in my lane.

Q. Do you like having somebody to chase? Four shots is big, but you caught him by, I think, 12 holes.

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: No, I think if you ask anyone out here they want to sort of do what Scottie has been doing or what Rory has done. You want to get to the 18th hole with a six- or seven-shot lead and smiling at your caddie and the crowd. I think that's what we all want when we close our eyes at night and fall asleep, but it's not always the case.

Q. Do you think it made you more aggressive in any way, even though you're said before you're in your island, but do you think there was a sense of, let's go crazy?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: I know the guys are good out here. No one is going to lay over here and play dead. Guys are aggressive at all times. It's like that shot into 11, at no point did I think about laying up. I figured, it's a par-5, it was a risky shot, but to me it just seemed like the right one.

Q. You said yesterday you wanted to pressure him, though. You wanted to be in the same group and put some pressure on. What is the mentality when you're thinking that way?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah, just play good golf. I don't think I'm an intimidating person, sitting here at 5'9", 5'10", I'm pretty friendly with most of the guys out here. Sort of just kill them with my clubs and do something of that nature.

Q. What has been the key to playing your way into the lead while in the midst of a swing change that you're getting comfortable with on a course where even you have said you haven't had the best record in the past few years?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Just full trust. I trust Chris a lot. I trust that he's given me really good advice. The times I feel like I hit loose shots I feel like I just didn't do what he wants me to do. For us pros, it doesn't really matter if we hit a bad shot, as long as we can identify what it is usually we're okay.

Q. Did seeing Wyndham come up short on 17 get in your head at all?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Not really. You've got to try and hit the center of the green. The wind was swirling a little bit. A little bit of doubt can kind of creep in, but for the most part I was in between clubs a little bit, and that was pretty much as confused as I was on a hole.

Q. Did you find the greens firmer today?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Certain greens. The fairways are much firmer. If you get a close peek, there's some spots that are drying up pretty nice.

Q. About being four back going into the day, did you have a goal where you wanted to end up or were you just head down?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: A little bit of head down. Shoot as low as possible. For me personally I tend to play my best golf when I'm really sitting there talking with Austin about reads and shots and shapes and number and stuff of that nature. Not get too far ahead of myself.

Q. You mentioned the closing stretch here when you're in the last group and in contention on the weekend, nice crowd, neat atmosphere. I don't know if you can appreciate it as you're going through it, but is it pretty cool?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: It's awesome, yeah. It's incredible. It's what it's all about for us. For me at least. It's definitely -- I love my job. I love playing golf and competing. That stadium arena there around those finishing holes is sort of all I can ask for.

Q. Is it a little bit of a gauntlet walking from 16 green to 17 tee in that moment?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah, I mean, if you let it be. You just try and hit a wedge to the center of the green and call it a day.

Q. Club at 17?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: That was a gap wedge.

Q. You mentioned playing through some of those pressure moments. You are maybe sometimes putting yourself in tough situations on that back nine. How much pressure are you feeling with a bit of a duel with Wyndham?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah, the most pressure I put on myself is the pressure I put on myself, more than anything else. I hold myself to a pretty high standard at times, and sometimes it's not good to do that during the middle of the round. You've got flick on the self belief and positivity versus sort of wondering why you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing. So, yeah, stay in my lane, like I've said a few times.

Q. You did a good job of actually staying calm in those situations?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah, I feel like I did.

Q. Is your dad here or will you be speaking with him tonight?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah, I'm sure he's watching on TV at home. He's on the West Coast. He was in Hawai'i prior to that. I'm sure I'll talk to both my parents tonight.