“I thought I was going to get fired” - Xander Schauffele’s caddie reveals crazy drunk story from the golfer’s rookie year
Austin Kaiser has been carrying Xander Schauffele’s bag for several years now. The duo has a relationship stretching back more than a decade, starting off from their college golf team at San Diego State. Owing to their healthy relationship, Schauffele’s reliable looper also has some fun stories together.
Kaiser appeared as a guest in the recent episode of GOLF’s Subpar Podcast, where he revealed a drunk story from Schauffele’s rookie year. The caddie, seated alongside US Open winner Wyndham Clark’s caddie John Ellis, said that he got drunk just hours before the PGA Tour star golfer’s tee off at the 2016 AT&T Byron Nelson. The caddie revealed that he thought he “was going to get fired” for it. He joked it was “the lowest point of my life, at that moment right there.”
Speaking on the podcast, ahead of the US Open 2023, Austin Kaiser said, as quoted by GOLF:
“That was a rough night… That was probably the time I thought I was going to get fired.”
Austin Kaiser's crazy night without Schauffele
Austin Kaiser went on to explain that the incident took place during Xander Schauffele’s rookie year. The duo was at the 2016 AT&T Byron Nelson. The relatively new player/caddie duo at the time missed the cut, and Kaiser and another caddie decided to go out that night in Dallas. They eventually found a bar, where bottle service was being offered for $300.
He added:
“Next thing you know I drink a fifth of Grey Goose and end up in the middle of a thunderstorm, dumping rain, in a cemetery, doing snow angels.”
WHAT TIMING!! Pro loopers John Ellis and Austin Kaiser sit down with us leading into the @usopengolf! They share some hilarious stories and some incredible insight! Out now! Oh and congrats John! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gol… https://t.co/ftT6Sbdu4R
Kaiser revealed that he found out he was in a cemetery after his wife used a tracking app to find his phone.
He said:
“This is at 2:30 in the morning. Xander wanted to wake up and practice at 7 am … I’m literally hugging a tree blacked out, and then Xander, being the good friend that he is, says ‘OK, I’ll find him, send me the screenshot of where he’s at.'”
Schauffele eventually found Kaiser, covered in mud. According to the caddie, the star golfer took his shirt off and carried him to safety, all before taking a few funny pictures.
It is noteworthy that the duo went on to become one of the finest in the game in the coming years. They recorded several wins together, including an Olympic gold three years ago in Japan.