Xander Schauffele hopes PGA directors’ recent meeting with PIF chief brings “unification and the game back together”
Xander Schauffele has both concerns and hopes from the meeting between the PGA Tour Player Directors and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia, on Monday, March 18.
The 30-year-old is currently at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida, to participate in the Valspar Championship starting on March 21. He gave an interview to Golf Channel from the practice course, with his thoughts on the Bahamas meeting.
Xander Schauffele said that the directors showing up in "good faith" at the meeting was good.
"I think they're moving along, is what it sounds like... I think it's good for all our directors or player directors at least to show up in good faith for some sort of agreement, so, I'm sure they're going to try and iron something out. I have no clue as to what it would look like, but talks are ongoing," Schauffele said.
The American said that he hoped some sort of unification came from the meeting that would bring golf together.
"Some sort of unification, I'm sure that's sort of the biggest topic of bringing the game back together, so I have no idea what or how that would look like," Schauffele said.
Xander Schauffele also shared some of his concerns in a scenario where the PGA Tour and LIV Golf coexist peacefully. His concerns relate to what will happen to the young players who have come on the circuit.
"I think, big picture, you have a lot of rookies coming up on tour here making names and stories for themselves, and then you got to bring in some some of the familiar faces that we've seen for many years."
"I haven't really put a whole lot of thought honestly into that hole but with Fenway in and our directors and our team here, I'm sure they can put their minds together and get something done."
The meeting with Yasir Al-Rumayyan in the Bahamas was attended by the PGA Tour Player Directors (Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Cantlay, Webb Simpson, Peter Malnati and Adam Scott), as well as the Liaison Director, Joe Ogilvie and Commissioner Jay Monahan.
Xander Schauffele at the Valspar Championship
Xander Schauffele comes into the Valspar Championship as the top ranked golfer in the field. He is also coming off an outstanding performance at The Players Championship, where he tied for second, one stroke behind Scottie Scheffler.
Schauffele has played seven tournaments so far in 2024, with five Top 10s. In the other two tournaments, he finished T25 (Arnold Palmer Invitational) and T54 (AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am). He has finished in the Top 5 in three of his five Top 10s this season.
Schauffele has also the longest active streak of cuts made on the PGA Tour, with 41 official events. His last cut was at The Masters Tournament in 2022, almost exactly two years ago.