Xander Schauffele has confessed his wife likely doesn’t like his selfishness (Image: Getty)
World No2 Xander Schauffele believes being selfish has helped propel him to the pinnacle of . However, he’s admitted his wife, Maya, likely doesn’t like that particular part of his personality.
The Californian has enjoyed the best year of his career to date after collecting his first two major titles. Schauffele, 30, won the PGA Championship in May before adding to his trophy cabinet just a few months later.
A certain amount of selfishness is to be expected in certain star athletes, though it’s perhaps more common in a largely individual sport like golf. However, that doesn’t mean the likes of Schauffele can’t embrace team spirit when a competition like the comes around.
“I think so. I tell my wife that. I don’t know if she’s the hugest fan of that,” he told reporters during this week’s team-based competition when asked if golfers need to be selfish to reach the top. “But I’m pretty selfish.
“Selfish to yourself, I think the captains do a really good job. All of us need to do what we normally do, and there’s a lot of stuff that we don’t normally do during an individual week that we do during a team week, whether it’s sort of the timed dinners or photos or a gala or you name it.”
Schauffele continued to praise the captains for their dilligent efforts organising teams. He also praised the support staff for their “incredible job” putting the players in a position to perform with minimal stress.
Schauffele won the first two majors of his career in 2024 (Image: Getty)
He’s one of several superstar talents lining up for the US Presidents Cup team at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Quebec. World No1 Scottie Scheffler, two-time major-winner Collin Morikawa and one-time US Open champion Wyndham Clark are also part of the 12-man outfit.
Hideki Matsuyama, Sungjae Im and Adam Scott are among the more recognisable names spearheading the International team, captained by Canadian Mike Weir. And the high-profile names will have to put much of their ego aside to emerge triumphant in Canada.
Schauffele and his wife, Maya, met while studying at University in California (Image: Getty)
Schauffele will have an early opportunity to impress in the first tee time alongside Thursday partner Tony Finau. They’ll take on Jason Day and Byeong Hun An in the first four-ball contest, one of six taking place on the opening day.
Although he may have some selfishness, it also takes a great deal of humility to accept that fact about one’s self. And it certainly hasn’t hampered Schauffele’s fortunes on the course as he’s blazed a trail to the sport’s summit over the past 12 months.