YOKOHAMA, Japan – Xander Schauffele’s victory at the Baycurrent Classic might not be the most prestigious of his career, but it will certainly be one of the most memorable.
Schauffele shot a 64 (-7) on Sunday, securing the win in Japan, a country with deep personal connections for the American golfer.
With a total of 265 strokes (-19) in four rounds at the Yokohama Country Club, Schauffele beat Max Greyserman by one stroke, who was also runner-up in this event the previous year.
Schauffele’s connection to Japan is familial: his maternal grandparents reside there, his mother grew up in Japan, and his mother-in-law is Japanese. In addition, his wife is half-Japanese and was raised on the island of Okinawa.
Recently become a father, Schauffele expressed his excitement about returning home to his son and his wife, Maya, after the tournament. Schauffele’s family was present to support him during the tournament, including his 81-year-old grandmother, who accompanied him on the course. The golfer anticipated a celebration with his family to commemorate the victory. Greyserman finished with a round of 65 strokes, while Michael Thorbjornsen completed the tournament with 64 strokes, finishing three strokes behind the winner. Schauffele, with two major championships to his name, including the 2024 Open Championship and gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, adds this triumph to his impressive list of achievements. The favorable conditions on the course led to low scores. Matt McCarty signed a card of 60 strokes (-11), although he finished nine strokes behind the leader. Takumi Kanaya, for his part, finished with 62 strokes (-9), five behind the winner.I’ve been coming here since I was about 9 years old to visit my grandparents. I fell in love with this country a long time ago. I’m looking forward to bringing my son here when he’s old enough to understand and appreciate Japanese culture.
Xander Schauffele
