'Stay In My Lane' - Xander Schauffele Not Making Any Special Plans As He Looks To Break Major Duck At Valhalla
The 30-year-old is in the final group at Valhalla on Sunday alongside two-time Major winner, Collin Morikawa


Xander Schauffele insists his game plan at the PGA Championship on Sunday will not be any different to normal - despite the American standing on the precipice of a first Major title.
Schauffele and Collin Morikawa lead a tightly-bunched leaderboard at Valhalla on 15-under, with Morikawa hunting a second PGA Championship and a third Major overall.
Schauffele opened up the week with a superb 62 before chaining together consecutive rounds of 68 to put himself in a strong position at Valhalla. It could have been even better, too, if not for a double bogey on the 15th on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Morikawa - who won the 2020 PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park for his first Major - has gone 66-65-67 and appears well capable of going low once more.
But the pressure is likely to be felt more intensely by Schauffele on Sunday given the 30-year-old has not lifted a trophy since July 2022, despite being in several excellent positions to end that run - most recently at the Wells Fargo Championship and before that, the Genesis Invitational.
The San Diego-born golfer held a one-stroke advantage over Rory McIlroy at Quail Hollow earlier this month but ultimately fell by five. Schauffele also trailed close friend Patrick Cantlay by two at Riviera prior to both fading badly as Hideki Matsuyama stormed to victory.
Far from promising he will correct past mistakes and use learned lessons on a day where a low score is likely to be required in order to reign supreme, Schauffele says he will stick to his tried-and-tested game plan.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
Asked how he will approach Sunday, Schauffele said: "Just like any other tournament for the most part. It's another Sunday. I typically love Sundays. I think I need to really just stay in my lane and do a lot of what I've been doing and just worry about myself.
"I mean, I said it yesterday... it's funny, so there's blood in the water. Everyone kind of laughed, and then Shane Lowry almost shot 61 today. Yeah, I imagine someone in that threshold now that it's been done twice is going to shoot something low and post a number early. I imagine that's going to happen. Like I said, just staying in my lane is what's going to make me play well."
Schauffele was later asked about what it would mean for him to make a long-awaited return to the winner's circle - a trip that is overdue given the World No.3's supremely-consistent play in 2024.
Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele at the RBC Heritage earlier this season
In classic Schauffele style, his response was modest. He said: "It would mean a lot. At the end of the day, it's just a result. Winning a tournament is just a result. All I can focus on are good golf shots and striking good putts.
"At the end of the day, wherever the cards fall, they fall. Yeah, it would mean a lot, obviously. It really is just a result. But yeah, like I said, it would mean a ton."
Schauffele and Morikawa will begin their final rounds at 2.35pm local time on Sunday, with the weather forecast in Louisville set fair for an uninterrupted day of action.

Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. During his time with Golf Monthly, Jonny has interviewed several stars of the game, including Robert MacIntyre, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Joaquin Niemann. An improving golfer himself, Jonny enjoys learning as much about the game as he can and recently reached his Handicap goal of 18 for the first time. He attended both the 150th and 151st Open Championships and dreams of attending The Masters one day.
-
Watch Bryson DeChambeau Smash 400+ Yard Monster Drive In LIV Golf Mexico Practice
DeChambeau is hitting mega drives this week in the 7,800ft altitude setting of Golf Club de Chapultepec in Mexico City
By Elliott Heath
-
Tiger Woods Heads 8 Golfers To Make All Time Rich List Of Top 50 Highest Paid Athletes
Tiger Woods is the second highest paid athlete of all time behind only Michael Jordan in a new top 50 rich list from Sportico
By Paul Higham
-
'Got My A** Kicked' - Xander Schauffele Has Tough Return To Action At Bay Hill
Xander Schauffele admitted he "got my a** kicked" by Bay Hill as he struggled in his first round back from a rib injury
By Paul Higham
-
Xander Schauffele Reveals When He Hopes To Return After Spell Out With Rib Injury
The World No.2 hopes to return to action in early March with the Arnold Palmer Invitational following a spell out with a rib injury
By Mike Hall
-
Reporter Shares Xander Schauffele Injury Details And Says World No.2 Has Been Struggling 'Since Late Last Year'
Golf Channel reporter Todd Lewis shared details on the World No.2's injury situation which caused Schauffele to withdraw from two recent PGA Tour events
By Jonny Leighfield
-
Collin Morikawa The Latest Big-Name Player To Withdraw From Farmers Insurance Open After Xander Schauffele
The two-time Major winner has withdrawn from the Torrey Pines event, with his place in the 156-player field being taken by Wesley Bryan
By Mike Hall
-
Xander Schauffele Not Listed In TGL Match And Farmers Insurance Open After Reported 'Medical Issue'
The World No.2, who withdrew from The American Express, is reportedly sitting out two scheduled appearances in the next week due to an unspecified "medical issue"
By Mike Hall
-
Xander Schauffele Withdraws From American Express Days After Scottie Scheffler
The PGA Tour announced on Monday evening that the World No.2 was no longer in the American Express field and had been replaced by Philip Knowles
By Jonny Leighfield
-
'A Whole Lot Of Money Going To Charity And We're Going To Take A Lot Of C**p' - Schauffele Sums Up Ryder Cup Pay Row
Xander Schauffele is unhappy that USA players are going to "take a lot of c**p" for getting Ryder Cup payments when they're giving it all to charity
By Paul Higham
-
Scheffler Vs Schauffele Vs McIlroy: How The Stats Compare
Rory McIlroy said Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele have ‘separated themselves’ so we looked at the stats…
By Paul Higham