As the person who holds the unofficial title of “greatest participant by no means to win a serious,” Xander Schaufele can sympathize with Rory McIlroy’s resolution to not play on the Vacationers Championship this week.
After lacking a pair of quick putts on the ultimate three holes to complete second to Bryson DeChambeau on the US Open on Sunday, McIlroy left Pinehurst No. 2 with out talking to reporters and introduced the subsequent day that he wouldn’t play once more till subsequent month’s Scottish Open.
McIlroy’s 10-year hitting drought will proceed till a minimum of the Open in July. In the meantime, Schaufele remains to be driving excessive on his first main title on the PGA Championship final month.
Till DeChambeau’s stroke at Valhalla Golf Membership, Schaufele had a popularity for struggling to shut out the lead within the ultimate spherical.
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The story of McIlroy’s dramatic ultimate spherical, which become distress with three bogeys within the ultimate 4 holes
“Every of us as rivals has had ups and downs to 1 diploma or one other. It is a robust state of affairs,” Schaufele mentioned Tuesday when requested how sympathetic he was to McIlroy’s present state of affairs.
“I am positive he and his group are discussing what occurred and generally you simply need to step away from all of it and actually attempt to be as goal as you may since you’re in that second and clearly that did not work out. go your personal method.
“He wants a while to know what is going on on.”
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Highlights from an thrilling ultimate spherical on the US Open at Pinehurst #2
McIlroy was criticized for withdrawing from Pinehurst and returning dwelling with out talking to reporters after Sunday’s ultimate spherical. He issued a press release Monday congratulating DeChambeau and asserting he would take a number of weeks off from golf.
The Northern Irishman admitted it was “most likely the hardest” day of his skilled profession however vowed to indicate resilience when he returns to the Scottish Open after which the Royal Troon Open.
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Paul McGinley believes McIlroy’s drought at main golf tournaments is because of his “lack of initiative,” however Brandel Chumbley believes it is as a result of his swing is not nearly as good because it was
“It is totally different for everybody. It is onerous for me to check my losses along with his losses,” Schaufele mentioned. “I’d say that his, he is below a little bit of a microscope. When issues are going rather well, persons are throughout him, and sadly, when issues aren’t going your method, persons are over him.
“So there is a microscope on him as to why he did not win and issues like that and he’ll need to reply these questions in some unspecified time in the future and he’ll as a result of he at all times does. So for me, I put on them fairly onerous, however generally it is good to only get on the horse and compete.”
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Nick Faldo and Wayne Riley have been baffled by a number of the selections McIlroy made late in his ultimate spherical of the US Open, which he misplaced by one stroke to DeChambeau
Schaufele is coming off a T7 on the U.S. Open, the seventh top-10 within the final eight particular person begins for the world No. 3 participant, heading into the ultimate signature occasion of the yr.
Schaufele additionally secured certainly one of 4 spots on Group USA on the Paris Olympics, the place he’ll defend his gold medal in August.
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“It is tremendous particular,” he mentioned. “It is at all times an honor to characterize my nation at any event or occasion, so I used to be in a position to share the gold medal with my household and qualifying was my first objective this yr. It is a very robust group to take care of, as you guys have seen on this aspect of the USA.
“It has been a very massive objective of mine to return again and I am actually wanting ahead to competing once more.”
Watch Xander Schauffele at this week’s Vacationers Championship, which you’ll be able to watch reside on Sky Sports activities Golf from 5pm on Thursday. Stream the PGA Tour, majors and extra from NOW.
