Xander Schauffele says he’s still ‘chasing’ Scottie Scheffler despite PGA Championship win - “I think I need some more work to do”
Xander Schauffele admitted that he's still chasing World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who has been in incredible form lately. Schauffele won his first Major, the PGA Championship last month and jumped to number two in the world, just behind Scheffler.
Ahead of the the two golfers' 1:14 p.m. (ET) tee off at the US Open tomorrow, the World No. 2 opened up about his game plan for the week in a press conference. He praised Scheffler's recent performances, remaining optimistic about being able to pull through to beat the 2024 Masters winner at the third Major of the year.
"I think I need some more work to do. Obviously, believe I can but Scottie's just doing incredible things. Every week we play he seems to build a bigger lead and somehow make the mountain even tall for all of us to climb. That's all he's been doing. And hats off to him for being so consistent and playing at such a high level for such a long time. So I believe I can do it, but it's going to take some time," Schauffele said. [02:43]
Xander Schauffele had also praised Scottie Scheffler, who has won five tournaments this season, after lifting the Wanamaker Trophy at last month's Major.
“All of us are climbing this massive mountain and at the top of the mountain is Scottie Scheffler. I won this today but I’m still not that close to Scottie Scheffler in the big scheme of things. I got one good hook up there in the mountain up on that cliff, and I’m still climbing. I might have a beer up there on that side of the hill there and enjoy this, but it’s not that hard to chase when someone is so far ahead of you,” Schauffele had said.
Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler are two of the experts' favorite bets for the week. But the US Open promises tough competition, with several high-ranked golfers teeing off besides the top two. They include Rory McIlroy, who is aiming for his fifth Major title, and Tiger Woods who is looking to bounce back after missing the cut at the PGA Championship.
The action will start tomorrow, Thursday, June 13, at Pinehurst No. 2 Golf Course in North Carolina.
What are Xander Schauffele's odds of winning the 2024 US Open?
There is a strong chance that Xander Schauffele will make it into the top 10 at the 2024 US Open, considering his past performances at the Major. He made his debut at the tournament in 2017 and has not had a single finish outside the top 20 since then. Owing to this impressive record, his odds of winning this week are 11-1, according to ESPN.
Schauffele's best finish at the US Open was in 2019, when he tied for third place. Last year, he finished T10. Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler had a solo third-place finish last year at the US Open, and he is a favourite to win the event in 2024 with odds of +300.