YOKOHAMA, Japan — This may increasingly not have been Xander Schauffele’s most prestigious match victory, nevertheless it needs to be the American’s most memorable.
Schauffele shot a 7-under 64 on Sunday to win the Baycurrent Basic in Japan — a rustic the place his mom grew up and the place he has many connections.
Schauffele, who shot 19-under 265 over 4 rounds on the Yokohama Nation Membership, completed one shot forward of American Max Greyserman, who was additionally the runner-up at this occasion a 12 months in the past as he chases his first PGA Tour title.
Schauffele has maternal grandparents residing in Japan, and his mom has roots in Taiwan and grew up in Japan. His mother-in-law can also be Japanese, and his spouse is half Japanese and grew up in Japan’s southern island of Okinawa.
“I have been coming right here since I used to be about 9 years previous to go to my grandparents,” Schauffele mentioned. “I kind of fell in love with this nation a very long time in the past. I can not wait to deliver my son right here when he is sufficiently old to kind of perceive and respect the tradition right here in Japan.”
“Yeah, the ties run deep for the Schauffele household right here in Japan,” he added.
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Schauffele and his spouse Maya grew to become mother and father simply over a month in the past with the delivery of a son.
“It is nonetheless type of recent, nevertheless it’s positively a cool factor being a dad and I am so excited to go house to him and Maya after this,” Schauffele mentioned.
Schauffele was cheered throughout the match by relations who attended, together with his 81-year-old grandmother who walked the course with him. He mentioned there would in all probability be a “get-together” with relations later to have a good time.
“I do not get to see them fairly often, and so they’ve all the time been gracious with their time to come back out wherever the occasion was,” he mentioned. “They have been superior to me, and that is fairly cool. I’ve actually needed to share a win with them, so cannot wait to get along with them.”
Greyserman closed with a 65 after holding or sharing the lead by way of the primary three rounds. American Michael Thorbjornsen completed with a 64 and was three strokes behind the winner.
Schauffele has gained two main championships — together with the Open Championship in 2024 for his final victory — and took gold within the Tokyo Olympics, which had been delayed till 2021 by the pandemic. He has compiled a substantial checklist of different PGA Tour titles, however this one title is completely different.
Mushy situations and nonetheless winds led to low scoring. American Matt McCarty shot an 11-under 60; he nonetheless completed 9 strokes again. Japanese Takumi Kanaya completed with a 9-under 62 and was 5 behind the winner.
McCarty had an opportunity at a 58 however hit into the bushes on his remaining gap and settled for a bogey and a 60. Jim Furyk holds the PGA Tour file with a 58 within the remaining spherical of the Vacationers Championship in 2016.
