Being a golfer is not easy. There are many challenges and issues you must face, and sometimes its tough to keep a cool head in the face of such difficulties. This was best exemplified by renowned golfer Xander Schauffele, who felt the consequences of his rashness; or we could say stubbornness; at this year's ZOZO Championship in Japan.
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The American golfer's tee shot on the 9th ended up next to a tree root. While many expected the 31-year-old to take an unplayable lie, Schauffele believed he could resolve the situation. He was even surprised by how things turned out, calling himself an idiot.
After two shots, he finally decided to take the unplayable option. Although he should have done that immediately, he acknowledged his mistake.
The amazing golfer didnt stop there. After that, he faced difficulties again, having 100 yards to the hole for his sixth shot, which left him 14 feet above the hole. The fantastic Schauffele, who has been doing remarkable things this season, misfired his triple-bogey attempt, sending the ball nine feet past the hole. A quintuple bogey was a real possibility, but fortunately, Schauffele managed to sink the comebacker to salvage an eight.
The 31-year-old had many scenarios in his head, but what he feared the most happened, twice. We are not used to these things from him, but Xander obviously made a huge mistake this time, which he probably still regrets, but such moments are sometimes quite normal in a golfer's career.
Schauffele explained that his performance was influenced by a mix of overconfidence and stubbornness. While this attitude has sometimes worked in his favor during tournaments, on that particular day, it backfired and caused him problems.
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This season has shown that Schauffele's confidence is crucial at key moments. It's evident that some golfers, like Rory McIlroy, struggle with confidence despite their immense talent. McIlroy likely has a rare level of skill, but his current mindset prevents him from achieving great results. In contrast, Schauffele can be grateful that he has often performed quite better than expected at times.
Schauffele reflected on his performance, stressing that making an eight on a par 4 was unusual for him, especially since he had led in bogey avoidance last season. He admitted that he hadn't experienced such a meltdown in a long time, probably around a year. In the end, he felt that the best reaction was to laugh it off, stressing how terrible the situation was.
At times, it can be difficult to accept certain situations, but a golfer like him has never wanted to despair or view things negatively. The 31-year-old has had a fantastic season, and it can be said that only Scottie Scheffler has more reason to celebrate than he does.
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Xander Schauffele's reaction
The popular golfer stressed that if this situation had happened on Saturday, his reaction would likely have been more intense. However, today he doesnt want to adopt a negative mindset; instead, he aims to improve in the days ahead. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated an ability to navigate challenging situations that might seem impossible to others. Schauffele embodies a type of golfer who never wants to despair or believe theres no way out.
Schauffele mentioned that depending on how the leaders perform the next day, it might be difficult for him to catch up. He plans to play in the morning when the greens should be less bumpy. The competition at this year's competition is fierce, but who can be a tough opponent for a golfer like Schauffele?
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Xander expressed that if he could shoot a score in the range of seven or eight under par, or string together several rounds of three to five under, it could put him right back in contention.
It will be interesting to see what we can expect from him in the coming days.
