Xander Schauffele admits to a stunning emotional turn after his Olympic collapse

Scottie Scheffler wasn’t the only one tearing up during the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner after the Olympic Golf Competition in Paris a little over a week ago. The former gold medalist, Xander Schauffele, was also deeply moved.

Schauffele had a tough final round at Le Golf National, posting a four-over 75, which cost him a shot at a medal. Despite his disappointment, he was genuinely happy for Scheffler, who closed with a remarkable 62 to clinch the victory. As the national anthem played during the medal ceremony, Schauffele was overcome with patriotic pride.

“It’s strange; I won’t lie. It’s the weirdest feeling,” said Schauffele, reflecting on his emotions as he watched from the family section. Schauffele, who had won Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021, admitted to feeling conflicted. “I was frustrated about my own round, but when Scottie was up there, and our flag was raised, and he started crying, I was like, ‘Yeah, this is pretty cool.’

“I usually stay rational, but in that moment, I felt so emotional. I was disappointed in my performance but also proud and happy for Scottie. It’s hard to explain the swing of emotions. Maybe it’s just being American. When you see your flag being raised and hear your national anthem, it stirs something inside you, a feeling that doesn’t come around often.”

However, those emotions will likely shift quickly as the FedEx St. Jude Championship kicks off on Thursday. Scheffler and Schauffele, currently first and second in the points standings, respectively, are paired together for the opening rounds.

“Playing with him these next two days, we’re all just going to be trying to outdo each other. It’s a funny feeling,” Schauffele remarked. He has made the FedEx Cup Playoffs each year since his rookie season in 2017.

This year has been a standout one for Schauffele, who has secured victories in two major championships—the PGA Championship and The Open at Royal Troon. Heading into the final round of the Olympics, he was in prime position. However, he ended up shooting the only over-par round among the top 10 on the leaderboard. Schauffele attributed his performance to fatigue and falling into old habits that he had previously overcome during his major wins.

When someone tried to downplay his final round in Paris, Schauffele didn’t hesitate to correct them. “It was bad,” he stated bluntly.

“I’m stubborn. My team knows it too well,” said Schauffele, 30. “When they ask how I’m doing, I always say I’m fine. But I was probably more tired than I realized. I take pride in finishing strong, so ending like that was… I was pretty bummed out.

“I went from thinking I had a shot at gold to maybe silver, then to bronze, and finally to just spectating. That’s what happened in the last seven or eight holes. It was a bummer, especially with the energy from the fans out there. It would have been amazing to be in the hunt with important shots down the stretch, from 15 to 18.”

Despite the disappointment, Schauffele found some solace in hearing the national anthem. For the California native, who is enjoying a career-defining year, that moment served as a meaningful consolation prize.