Xander Schauffele’s Wife ‘Blacking Out’ During Emotional PGA Championship Win

During what was the pinnacle of her husband Xander Schauffele’s career, Maya Schauffele admitted to “blacking out” from the emotional intensity of the moment. “I’m sorry, I’m blacking out,” she told The Athletic, her voice trembling. “This means everything. Everything that he has worked hard for, it just goes to show that you’ll see results if you put in the work. He deserves it more than anything.”

Maya, who is a photographer, emphasized Xander’s unwavering dedication and relentless practice, even during supposed off weeks. “The grind never stops,” she noted. She reflected on Xander’s recent disappointment at the Wells Fargo Championship, where he lost a one-stroke lead. “I’m sure that chip that was on his shoulder is gone, oh, my goodness,” she said, struggling to contain her emotions. “I’m really quite emotional. I think what this means to him is that this is exactly what he’s meant to do — to play golf at this level. He’s doing what he loves.”

The couple, who met at San Diego State University and married in July 2021, share their life with two dogs, Chewie and Momo.

Xander’s dramatic 72nd-hole birdie at Valhalla, a course famed for past thrilling finishes by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, secured him a major-championship scoring record. This victory, achieved with a final-round 6-under 65, brought his total to 21 under, breaking the previous record held by Brooks Koepka (2018 PGA) and Henrik Stenson (2016 British Open). He narrowly edged out Bryson DeChambeau, who matched him with an 18th-hole birdie but ultimately finished a shot behind.

This triumph ended a two-year streak of near misses for Schauffele, the 2021 Olympic gold medalist, and propelled him to second in the world rankings. It was a significant turnaround from recent disappointments, where he lost leads to Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy in prior tournaments.

Reflecting on his strategy for the final day, Schauffele said, “I knew that birdies had to be made, so there was some sort of aggression that I knew I needed coming into today.” This mindset was crucial, as a record 15 players entered the final round at double digits under par.

Schauffele’s path to victory was not without challenges. Twice on the back nine, his drives landed in the middle of the fairway but were specked with mud, complicating his subsequent shots. Nonetheless, his resilience and skill prevailed, making his final birdie and securing his place in golf history.