Xander Schauffele has laid the gauntlet down to the likes of Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler with an ominous 10-word statement. After clinching victory at The Open Championship, following his triumph in the US PGA Championship just over two months prior, Schauffele has now got two parts of golf's grand slam under his belt.
The American, 30, is on a relentless pursuit of excellence as evidenced by his staggering performances in this year's majors, which also included top-10 finishes at the Masters and the US Open. While Schauffele's ascension to becoming a serial major winner spells exciting times for golf, it causes a headache for the likes of world No.1 Scheffler and McIlroy.
Scheffler has won one of the majors, taking the Masters twice, while McIlroy’s wait for his fifth major now stands at a long 10 years after he missed the cut at Troon. Meanwhile, Schauffele remains hungry for more glory, emphatically stating: "The fire is still burning, maybe brighter than ever before."
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He continued: "Before I had any majors, it's something I've always wanted. I'm one step closer and still have a long way to go. But if you don't see yourself doing it, you're never going to do it.
"There's still a lot of things that I'd like to do in my career, and this is a very big leap towards that. Everyone in my family knows how competitive I am."
Schauffele may not be as high-profile as Scheffler or McIlroy, who have become household names, but his desire and focus are unsurpassed in the sport at present. He said: "I may not be the guy running around fist-pumping, but that's just who I am.
"I kind of know how I need to be to perform at a high level. The same way I don't get really angry, I also don't let myself get too over the moon because to me it's the same thing.
"If I'm sitting there snapping a club, that would be the same as me running around fist pumping. It would take too long for me to adjust before my next shot to hit a good one.
"I've kind of embraced this sort of So-Cal [Southern California], laid-back kid, but there's obviously a fire burning deep within, or you wouldn't have a couple majors sitting by your side."
