YOKOHAMA, Japan – While not the most prestigious victory in Xander Schauffele’s career, the triumph at the Baycurrent Classic in Japan will surely be one of the most memorable for the American golfer.
Schauffele carded a 64, seven under par, on Sunday, securing the championship in a country with deep personal connections.
The golfer finished the tournament with a total of 265 strokes, 19 under par, in four rounds at the Yokohama Country Club, beating Max Greyserman by one stroke, who was also runner-up in this event the previous year.
Schauffele’s connection to Japan is deep. His mother grew up there, his maternal grandparents reside in the country, and his wife is of Japanese descent.La madre de Xander Schauffele nació en Taiwán pero creció en Japón.“I’ve been coming here since I was about 9 years old to visit my grandparents,” Schauffele commented. “I fell in love with this country a long time ago. I can’t wait to bring my son here when he’s old enough to understand and appreciate Japanese culture.”
“The Schauffele family’s ties to Japan are very strong,” he added.
Recently, Schauffele and his wife Maya became parents, and the golfer expressed his excitement about returning home.
“It’s still recent, but being a father is incredible and I’m very excited to go home to him and Maya after this,” he said.
Xander SchauffeleDuring the tournament, Schauffele was supported by his family, including his 81-year-old grandmother, who accompanied him on the course.
“I don’t see them very often, and they’ve always been very kind when coming to events,” he commented. “They’ve been incredible with me, and this is very special. I really wanted to share a victory with them, so I’m eager to celebrate together.”Xander Schauffele posa con miembros de su familia después de ganar el Baycurrent Classic. Sus abuelos maternos viven en Japón, su suegra es japonesa y su esposa es mitad japonesa y creció en la isla sureña de Okinawa.Greyserman finished with a 65, while Michael Thorbjornsen recorded a 64, finishing three strokes behind the winner.
Schauffele has won two major championships, including the Open Championship in 2024, and won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, which were delayed until 2021 due to the pandemic.
Favorable conditions allowed for low scores. Matt McCarty shot a 60, eleven under par, though he finished nine strokes behind the leader. Takumi Kanaya finished with a 62, nine under par, five strokes behind Schauffele.
McCarty had a chance for a 58, but a mistake on the last hole cost him a bogey and a 60. The PGA Tour record is held by Jim Furyk with a 58 at the 2016 Travelers Championship.
