Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
Xander Schauffele is laid back but after shooting a first-round 62 at the U.S. Open, someone needs to check his pulse.
Xander Schauffele made history in his opening round at the 123rd U.S. Open. He posted a bogey-free 62, tying Rickie Fowler for the lowest round in major championship history. Incredibly, they did it in a span of three groups of each other Thursday.
After his record-breaking performance, he was asked what the mark meant to him.
In typical Schauffele fashion, he was cool as a cucumber. “It’s just Thursday,” Schauffele said in his post-round interview.
He made history, but it was just another round for Schauffele. While he seemed happy about his round, there is still a lot of golf left before Sunday.
“My job is just to play. I try not to speculate too much,” Schauffele said. “I’m going to take what the course can give me, and today it gave me a low one, and we’re going to have to assess it as we go on.”
He credits his caddie Austin for helping him out on Thursday.
“It’s a credit to him,” Schauffele said. “We always think we can get away with some ridiculous stuff out there, and sometimes it’s nice to have some help to talk you off the ledge.”
Schauffele started his round on the back nine and quickly got hot as he went out in 30, making five birdies. He came in at 32, making three more birdies to give him eight total.
In the last six majors, he is the only player with a top-20 finish in each. Schauffele finished T10 at the Masters, T18 at Oak Hill for the PGA Championship, T13 at the 2022 PGA Championship, T14 at the 2022 U.S. Open and T15 at the Open Championship at St. Andrews.
To add to his allure at major championships, Schauffele has finished inside the top 15 in his last six U.S. Opens. He finished T5 at Erin Hills in 2017, T6 at Shinnecock Hills in 2018, T3 at Pebble Beach in 2019, solo 5th at Winged Foot in 2020, T7 at Torrey Pines in 2021 and of course his T14 at the Country Club.
Those six straight top 15s are the longest streak at a U.S. Open since Lanny Wadkins did it from 1981-86. There are only four players with longer streaks than Schauffele, and they are some hard-hitting names. Jack Nicklaus went 12 years from 1971-1982, Ben Hogan also went 12 years from 1940-1956, Bobby Jones had an 11-year streak from 1920-1930 and Sam Snead had a nine-year streak from 1947-1955, per the USGA.
“I think I’ve played really well in majors. Obviously, haven’t won any of them yet, but it’s just sort of a type of golf,” Schauffele said. “It’s just hard. You have to kind of think your way around.”
