MEN'S OLYMPIC GOLF COMPETITION

August 2, 2024

Xander Schauffele

Le Golf National

Press Conference

Q. How did it go today?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: A little bit of everything. Five under is a good score on this property. Overall, sitting in a good spot coming into the weekend.

Q. What was the deal with the ants?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah, so I was sitting in this -- I just missed the rough, I guess, into the I guess maybe unknown as they would call it, the long stuff as I call it. I was kind of putting my club down and sort of that fluffy sort of -- fluffy grass almost, and I'm taking practise swings and I'm trying to get to my ball and I can't even -- what's going on, something is behind my ball.

I went down and saw a pile, so I called an official. It was just ants. It was a pile of ants, an ant pile, or whatever you want to call it, and their home; so I didn't want to mess with it. Couldn't take relief. It's a loose impediment.

Q. Why couldn't you take relief from a dangerous animal?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Dangerous to some. I didn't feel too threatened by the ants. I don't think they have fire ants. I'm not too sure to be completely honest.

I called for a second official because I asked the lady if I can use my club to scrape the sand since it's loose, and she's like yes. My gut was like, oh, boy, am I really going to use my club, have it on film, and then talk to you guys after?

I got a second opinion and the guys said I could not move the grass but use my tee to move the ants.

I didn't do anything to be honest. I ended up hacking out 50 yards on the fairway. That's all I've got for you.

Q. Have you ever had that happen before?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Maybe. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. I'm not sure. I've had burrowing animal issues before. But no, like, ant pile that you can't really move, I guess, or, like, take relief from.

Q. You used the word "skank" yesterday. Is there any little part of you that feels like you're on autopilot, just the way you played over the last couple months?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah, sure, I think so. I mean, when you're in good form, all of us know that it's all about just making the correct decision and executing the shot and rinse and repeating that process. So don't let too much try and bother you, and if you do hit a bad shots, it's easier to accept it because you know you're playing really good golf and you can make it up somewhere else. In that sort of zone, I guess.

Q. Any part of your game you wish you were sharper?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: All parts of it. I'm pretty nitpicky. But like I said, it's a positioning battle coming out of that final stretch and all you're trying to do is give yourself a chance on that back nine.

Q. How gettable was today compared to yesterday?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: I got a look at -- had that ant pile, and hit a lob-wedge down that fairway and made a mess of that hole.

15 I hit it left. The fairways are general with us with the wind pushing the ball towards the water, you have the lead, it's not like I'm aiming at the right side of the fairway there. I'm trying to filet one across the deal there. Hit in the rough and it was brutal. I was worried about hitting in the water on that hole and had a 2-putt from 75 feet. Sloppy on certain holes where I should be giving myself birdie looks.

Q. I know you're concentrating on yourself but Viktor has been on a rough stretch. Wondering if you see anything or is it just golf, what he's going through right now?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: It's just golf. He'll figure it out. He's way too stoic, I guess, and too good at golf. I've played with Hovi; all of us have played worse or better. I've played with him at his best. It's special.

So now is now, and in two or three months, or hopefully in the next couple of weeks for him, he'll figure it out. But I don't think anybody is going to worry about him.

Q. Being on autopilot, after playing yesterday and in the practice round, anything different today in your decision-making or that you learned yesterday?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: No. When it's sort of light wind, it gets a little variable. The only thing that would slowdown the process of making a good decision would be if you start to feel different winds.

As the breeze picks up above seven, eight, nine in the double digits, it starts to be a consistent direction. In the mornings, when it's blowing three to five or six, it's all over the place, and that's sort of the only thing that slows you down.

Q. Three years ago, it was a much different tournament. Is there anything about this whole Olympics that you find that appeals to you and brings out some of your best?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Yeah, I'm not sure. I'm American. I'm U.S.-born but I feel at times very international with my mom and where she grew up and with my dad being half-French, half-German. Make I just make it up in my head but I try to call a lot of places home.