Tiger Woods shows ultimate class with text message to Xander Schauffele

Xander Schauffele was left starstruck after receiving a congratulatory message from golfing legend Tiger Woods following his victory at The Open Championship.

Tiger Woods, a 15-time major champion, reached out to Schauffele to encourage and congratulate him on his recent success, demonstrating Woods’ commitment to nurturing the next generation of golf greats. Schauffele is set to defend his Tokyo 2020 gold medal when the men’s golf event begins at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Thursday.

Earlier this year, Schauffele claimed his first major title at the PGA Championship in May and added the Claret Jug to his collection at Royal Troon just two months later. The 30-year-old American patiently climbed the leaderboard in Scotland to win The Open, a title Woods has earned three times.

Despite these achievements, it was a text message from his idol, Tiger Woods, that made the moment even more special. Woods’ message read, “Champion Golfer of the Year, take it in.” Schauffele shared his excitement with the Daily Mail, expressing how cool it was to receive such a message from Woods.

Schauffele recalled his interactions with Woods at Royal Troon, where they played their first two rounds together. He mentioned that when Woods asked him, “How’s it feel?” on the first day of the tournament, it took him a moment to realize that Woods was referring to his recent major win.

The current world No. 2 has always admired Woods and acknowledges the legend’s lasting impact on the sport. Schauffele has expressed his desire for Woods to continue playing, despite opinions from others, like Colin Montgomerie, suggesting he should retire. Schauffele’s admiration for Woods reveals a gentler side of the iconic competitor, showcasing his influence on the new generation of golfers.

Reflecting on his achievements, Schauffele admitted he still gets starstruck despite his rapid rise in the sport. He recognizes the significant gap between his two major titles and Woods’ 15, calling it humbling to compare himself to one of the greatest golfers of all time. Nevertheless, he is incredibly happy with his accomplishments.

While Schauffele won’t have the opportunity to add to his major victories until next year, he is set to chase another gold medal this weekend in Paris. If successful, he could become the first golfer to earn medals in two separate editions of the Olympics. Golf, which returned to the Olympic schedule in 2016 after more than a century, has only featured in four previous Olympics. Schauffele’s pursuit of another gold medal promises to be a challenging yet potentially historic endeavor.