Xander Schauffele, the world’s third-ranked golf player, made an unexpected comeback in the first round of the Valspar Championship on Thursday. This was indeed a surprise, considering his recent form since recovering from a rib injury two weeks ago at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. However, experts are cautious in their praise, suggesting that his impressive scoring may be masking deeper issues in his performance.
Schauffele’s recent struggles were evident at The Players Championship last weekend, where he finished at the bottom of the players who managed to make the cut. Yet, his performance at the Valspar Championship suggested a turn of the tide, with an impressive round that placed him just outside the top 20. However, not all are convinced by this seemingly strong comeback.
Former PGA Tour player Dennis Paulson, who snagged the 2000 Buick Classic (now known as the FedEx St. Jude Championship) title, offered a surprising verdict on Schauffele’s performance. Despite an impressive score, Paulson described Schauffele’s round as “wild” and pointed out several instances of poor shots.
Paulson’s critique, delivered via PGA Tour’s main feed, highlighted the unexpected errors in Schauffele’s game, including a risky shot that should have put him out of bounds on the par five. Yet, through a stroke of luck, the ball hit the roof, bounced off the OB fence, and landed back into the field, leading to a birdie for Schauffele.
Another instance of uncharacteristic play was when he hit into a hotdog stand on the eighth hole, a par three. Such shots, Paulson noted, are not typical of Schauffele and warrant attention. However, he did commend Schauffele’s scoring, acknowledging that he managed to salvage a decent round despite the erratic shots.
Schauffele’s performance in the 2025 season has been less than stellar. After a 30th place finish at The Sentry in January, he was sidelined for two months due to injury. His return at the Arnold Palmer saw him finish at the same position, and the downward trend continued with a 72nd place finish at TPC Sawgrass last week.
Despite the recent setbacks, it would be premature to write off Schauffele. The PGA Tour is fiercely competitive, and even top players can tumble down the leaderboard due to slight inconsistencies in their game. Schauffele’s recent struggles should not induce panic, nor should they cast a shadow on his participation in the upcoming Valspar Championship or the Masters in three weeks.
Struggles aside, Schauffele has the potential to bounce back. It would not be entirely surprising if he managed to defend his PGA Championship title at Quail Hollow in May. Even in his current state of form, Schauffele remains a formidable player to watch out for, reminding us that in the unpredictable world of golf, anything can happen.
