Xander Schauffele: My Wife hates me

Xander Schauffele Acknowledges Selfishness: ‘I Don’t Know If My Wife’s the Biggest Fan’

Golf star Xander Schauffele has revealed that a certain trait, which may not be the most likeable, has played a key role in his success. However, his wife, Maya, may not be entirely supportive of this aspect of his personality.

The World No. 2 has enjoyed the best season of his career so far, securing his first two major titles. Schauffele, 30, clinched the PGA Championship in May and followed it up with a victory at The Open a few months later.

While some degree of selfishness is often seen in top athletes, it’s especially prevalent in individual sports like golf. Nonetheless, Schauffele shows that it’s possible to embrace teamwork, especially during competitions like the Presidents Cup.

“I think so. I tell my wife that. I don’t know if she’s the hugest fan of that,” Schauffele admitted to reporters during the team-based event, responding to a question about whether being selfish is necessary to succeed at the highest level. “But I’m pretty selfish.”

“Selfish to yourself, I think the captains do a really good job. All of us need to do what we normally do, and there’s a lot of stuff that we don’t usually do during an individual week that we do during a team week, whether it’s the scheduled dinners, photos, a gala, or you name it.”

Schauffele went on to commend the captains for their meticulous work in organizing the teams. He also praised the support staff for their “incredible job” in ensuring the players could perform with minimal stress.

The American golfer is one of several top talents representing the U.S. at the Presidents Cup, held at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Quebec. Other members of the 12-man team include World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, two-time major winner Collin Morikawa, and U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark.

The International team, captained by Canadian Mike Weir, features prominent names like Hideki Matsuyama, Sungjae Im, and Adam Scott. These high-profile players will need to put their egos aside to come out on top in Canada.

Schauffele has an early opportunity to shine, as he is set to play the first tee time with his Thursday partner, Tony Finau. The duo will face off against Jason Day and Byeong Hun An in the opening four-ball contest, one of six matches scheduled for the first day.

Despite his self-admitted selfishness, Schauffele’s willingness to acknowledge this trait demonstrates a level of humility. It clearly hasn’t hindered his progress, as he has continued to reach new heights in the sport over the past year.