Xander Schauffele snaps back at LIV Golf-themed money question in cagey response

Xander Schauffele Criticizes Media’s Focus on Golfer Earnings Ahead of BMW Championship

During his pre-BMW Championship press conference, Xander Schauffele voiced his frustration with the media’s negative portrayal of golfers pursuing lucrative financial opportunities.

The topic of money has been a major talking point in the golf world, particularly following the launch of LIV Golf in 2021. The Saudi-backed league, known for its large financial incentives, has sparked heated debates among fans, players, and commentators regarding the ethics of chasing such wealth.

As Schauffele prepared for the BMW Championship, which boasts an impressive $100 million prize fund, he shared his thoughts on how financial matters are discussed in sports. He called out what he sees as a double standard in how different sports are reported.

“The media has been interesting to me over the last two or three years,” Schauffele stated. “There’s a reason behind inflated purses, and a lot of people have been talking about money.”

He observed that while golf often receives negative attention for its big money deals, athletes in other sports are celebrated for their massive earnings.

“The news I read is often really negative when it comes to golf, which is fine. People seem to love criticizing things these days. But when I see someone in another sport sign a $300 million contract, there’s all this praise about how they’ve worked hard to earn it and deserve it.”

Schauffele suggested that the difference in perception might be due to golf’s reputation as a “gentleman’s game,” where discussions about money are typically avoided. Yet, he pointed out, the media frequently focuses on financial aspects in the sport.

To illustrate his point, Schauffele compared the earnings of PGA Tour players to the contracts of NFL quarterbacks.

“Take the top 10 quarterbacks,” he explained. “Scottie [Scheffler] has won seven times, including an Olympic gold medal, and he’s made significantly more than anyone else. But if you look at what the 10th-best player in the world has earned, it doesn’t even come close to what Scottie has made. That just shows how well Scottie has performed in these big tournaments.

“The number one quarterback is making $60 million, the 10th is getting $52 million, and even the 15th is earning $39 or $40 million.”

Schauffele himself has had an outstanding season, earning $17.6 million from his two major championship victories and overall performance on the PGA Tour. However, he emphasized that he rarely focuses on the money he makes, which is a stark contrast to many of the players who joined LIV Golf.

“Us players, especially those who make the most money, don’t really think about it because it’s not the most important thing,” Schauffele added, stressing that performance is more important than financial gains. “If I play poorly and lose, I’m going to be more upset about my performance than about losing money.”