Xander Schauffele was a workhorse at the Presidents Cup this week, playing in all five matches for the Americans.
He admitted to being fatigued on Sunday, but it did not matter. He dominated Jason Day in the first match, winning 5 & 3 and securing the first point for Team USA.
“I was really tired, yeah. I was talking to a few of the guys, and we really wanted to motivate ourselves,” Schauffele said.
“Not that we needed more motivation, but just to not come out sluggish. That was my biggest goal today.”
After pulling his opening drive way left of the fairway, Schauffele managed to find the front half of the green, hoping to at least make a par. But he drained a 45-footer for birdie, which gave him the boost he needed.
“That really started my round,” Schauffele said with a grin.
Day matched Schauffele’s opening birdie with a par-breaker of his own. The 2015 PGA Championship winner then made another birdie at the second, thus grabbing a 1-up lead quickly. But Schauffele turned it into high gear on the par-3 5th hole. His first of four straight birdies began there, as the Champion Golfer of the Year quickly built a 4-up lead through eight holes. Day then made a bogey five at the 9th, thus increasing Schauffele’s lead to five. It was all but over at that point.
“I just felt like I had to keep pressing, and I was able to,” Schauffele said.
“Some days when you press, it goes your way, and some days it doesn’t, and today it definitely went my way.”
Captain Jim Furyk told Schauffele he would lead the charge for the Americans on Saturday evening, an honor he gratefully accepted.
“My job was to get red up there early,” Schauffele said.
“We have some really, really good players on this team, and it was an honor for me to go first and try and get that first point.”
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
