The call that Xander Schauffele made last night

Xander Schauffele speaks to the media after the third round at the Open Championship

Okay. Tell us about the eagle putt on. Yeah. How did you read that one and how long it was? It was just one of those putts that you were trying to um get within three three to five feet. Uh there’s been some diabocle pin locations this week and that was one of them. You know, it’s a very getable par five with it being sort of helping off the left, but um it was nice to see a long putt going. I think it was my first sort of long one of the week. Did you see some progress last week at the Scottish as far as your putting goes? And how rewarding is it to be able to putt well like you did today? I I’ve been I think I’ve been putting a lot better this week than last week actually. I think my stats ran in the red um every day except Sunday. So uh tried pretty hard to figure out, you know, how to get everything correct uh to roll the ball well in these greens. And um you know, I think this week’s been a little bit better. Did you make any How do you do that? What’s the process? You just Yeah, you just It’s like a It’s a lot of it speed, you know. You have to just start um we’re very used to 12 13 and when you start to putt uphill or downhill, you you kind of have to air on a little bit less break and and more speed, which is kind of hard to get yourself to do at times. Uh but and then, you know, you factor in some wind. If some greens are exposed, the ball will get affected by a little bit of wind. So, it’s a it’s a bit of a educated educated guessing game. feel better about uh the progression of your game here over the last couple of weeks. Obviously, you’re starting to have some better results. Yeah. Um yeah, today was today was nice. It was it was uh had a nice phone call with Chris last night and yesterday felt terrible. Uh even with some of the shots coming in, I felt like I was kind of luck boxing my way through the back n somehow, you know, making contact and hitting it somewhere near the hole and getting it in. So, today I felt like I was more in more control. Obviously, the weather was much nicer and and sort of what we’re used to uh on the PJ tour, but um it felt like I, you know, I could control my golf ball a lot more. When when you can control your golf ball like that, does your strategy change just a little? Uh yes and no. I mean, I I feel like you try to use your length to your advantage out here. You know, if you can kind of get your driver on some tight lines uh with with the firms fairways being a little bit firmer, you can get a ball moving pretty far down some of these holes and that can kind of give you an edge at times. Um, but yeah, you know, it’s still scary. You know, I I wasn’t aiming at that pin on 12. You know, I may have pulled it a hair, but I was trying to hit that thing to 35 ft at best and then try to, you know, make it or two putt. So, um, I think, you know, with these pins, I think you’re trying to be a little bit more defensive. When you’re in the zone like that, is there a number that you’re trying to get to, or do you find yourself just like trying to hit it every flag or or as as a more kind of specific? It just it just feels, you know, work feels easy on, you know, when you can control your golf ball kind of wherever you’re looking, you’re kind of hitting it and you’re seeing certain numbers and even your bad shots kind of are on the correct side of the hole or just on the short side like on nine I wasn’t trying to hit it right of the pin there. And luckily had a lob wedge and it ended up to, you know, 9 ft or so. So, um, you know, when it’s blowing five to, you know, 15 miles an hour over here and the sun’s up, uh, you feel like you can golf a little bit more. Did you say luck boxing? What’s that? Yeah. I don’t even know if that’s a term, but that’s how that’s how I felt. We’ll use it now. Yeah. Here we go. RS for Rory. Are you aware of all those birds he gets on and electricity that’s around the joint? Uh yeah. Yeah. It’s loud. It’s uh it’s it’s cool, you know. I’m I’m I’m glad he’s he’s playing well for for his home country. Um it it’s it’s sort of, you know, what golf needs and um entertainment’s high. So, it was I was on 17T when I when I heard whatever happened on 12. I assumed it was an eagle. Some sort of hole out. Um, it was it was pretty loud, you know. I was pretty far away and it was very loud and he got a standing ovation walking down 13. So, it looks like he’s enjoying it. Looks like the fans are enjoying it. Um, which is great for this event. Feel like you got yourself back into contention today or not really. You know, I probably needed, you know, I missed two short birdie putts, which I’m looking at. Uh, you know, asking for par on four would was a big ask. You know, I gave myself like a 14 footer uphill, but, you know, if I’m nitpicking my whole deal, I needed three more today to feel like I’m somewhere close enough to whatever, you know, Scott or Fitzpatrick or how are going to post. Sorry. Uh, yeah. I mean, I don’t react, but yeah. I mean, today I was I just felt like I I there’s no point in not, you know, I need to find any bit of motiv, not not that I’m not motivated, but any extra motivation I can to to giddy up and and try and get something done because, you know, there’s there’s a few guys that are playing some incredible golf. So, what’s the motivator tomorrow then? Yeah, I mean, I’m so far back. Who knows with the weather and whatnot. Um, I’m, you know, I I believe in myself and and what I can do, so just black out hopefully. No luck boxing, blackout, there’s your headline. Um, and uh try try to shoot something um and give myself a lot of opportunities. Depending on what the deficit is, could you find yourself in in chase mode, even if it’s too far to chase because of other things, whether it’s Yeah. Whether it’s whatever. Sure. Uh it’s hard. It’s hard. I mean, I think it’s pretty hard to, you know, depending on how windy it is. If I was leading a tournament, I’d want it to play hard just because, you know, no one’s going to shoot 62 or 63 or whatever it is. Um, and if you shoot level to one under, you’re going to win the tournament. Um, so, you know, chasing is is difficult when when you’re on a Lynx course with weather and wind and bounces and and things like that. So, uh, yeah, I mean, I feel like I’m definitely I have I feel like I’ve been in chase mode all year. Um, which is, you know, is what it is. What was Chris’s message last night? Uh just some golf some golf swing stuff. Just wasn’t doing We worked a lot before I came overseas. Try to sort of reset a few things and um I felt like I was doing some things pretty well last last week at the Scottish and may have gotten away from that with a little bit of the weather getting a little bit tight um things like that on property. So just trying to get back to to a little bit of what we did before. Can you define blackout? Well, depends if you know blackout would be, you know, it’s used in different terms. If you drink too many, if you drink if you drink a few too many, you know, if you go to a Harbor Bar, there might be a few blacked out guys there. Um, more like in your in your situation. Yeah. Blackout would just be you’re so in your own world. You know, for me, when I use the word blackout in golf, it’s like uh when a guy is just, you know, when I watch Scotty play a lot, he just looks blacked out to me. like he’s just just doing his thing and he’s just in his own world and nothing’s going to bother him. So, um he get he gets that place often which is a good thing for him. Did you make any adjustments coming from yesterday from yesterday to today when you had to get around today? You talked about you you were working Chris last week. Yeah. If there was anything you worked on just Yeah, a few swing key uh cues I guess. Um, nothing crazy, but uh, I I felt like I was in a position starting the day where I I have no absolutely nothing to lose, you know, if if it didn’t work. Um, I think like Sunday of Travelers, I tried something as well, and that obviously didn’t go very well. So well, so I’m not afraid to just try try it on course. It’s it’s never, you know, not something I’m I’m afraid to do, but um, yeah, you know, I think a few of those cues maybe worked a little bit better today than the previous days. Very good. Thanks, guys. is good.