“I wouldn’t call myself a head case” - Xander Schauffele positive about training with Chris Como ahead of the Valspar Championship
Xander Schauffele has praised veteran coach Chris Como for improving his swing, movement, and efficiency lately. However, he added that sometimes he reverts to his old technique when it is unfavorable but is learning to adapt over time.
So far, Schauffele has had his father, Stefan, as his only instructor, but recently he hired Como, who has worked with many prominent players. Como has instructed Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau in the past and recently worked with Jason Day.
Last week at the TPC Sawgrass, the seven-time PGA Tour champion praised Como's patience with him.
"He’s learning that I can be a bit — I wouldn’t call myself a head case but I can be a little too technical at times. So he’s put me on a bit of a trickle in terms of information," he said as per Golfweek.
On Tuesday, March 19, during the pre-tournament press conference of the Valspar Championship, Schauffele once again complimented Como. He said that his club has more movement than before.
"Chris has helped me a lot in that department, helped me understand sort of what my swing can do and how to sort of move the club a little bit better and more efficiently. That part's been sort of enjoyable," he stated.
"There's still times where I don't trust it, if I get into sort of a weird wind or into the wind and things of that nature, I sort of revert back to old. So that's something I'm still working on," Schauffele added.
When will Xander Schauffele tee off at the Valspar Championship, round 1?
Xander Schauffele is paired with Brian Harman and Taylor Moore for the first two rounds of the 2024 Valspar Championship. For the first round, the trio will tee off from the first tee at Copperhead on Thursday, March 21 at 1:23 pm ET.
The first round of the Valspar Championship will begin at 7:35 am ET on Thursday, with Garrick Higgo, Matt NeSmith, and Ben Griffin teeing off from the first hole. Luke Donald, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, and Sam Stevens will tee off at 7:40 am ET and will be the first group to begin the play from the tenth tee.
Schauffele hasn't missed the cut in his last 41 starts but has been winless since mid-2022. This year, he came close to winning a couple of events but fell short both times. His most recent heartbreak was the Players Championship last week, where he lost to Scottie Scheffler by one stroke after having a 54-hole lead.
This season, the 30-year-old golfer has already raked in five top-ten finishes, including three top-five finishes. Here's a look at his performance on the PGA Tour 2024 season so far:
- The Sentry: T10
- The American Express: T3
- Farmers Insurance Open: T9
- AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: T54
- The Genesis Invitational: T4
- Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard: T25
- The Players Championship: T2