Signature Scroll: Xander Schauffele shows signs of life at The Genesis Invitational

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LOS ANGELES – I made the mistake of telling Xander Schauffele that his 2025 season was “solid” during his post-round interview on Friday. “You and I have different definitions of solid years,” he retorted, a jab that was both playful and serious.

Fair enough! He expects more from himself. A Ryder Cup spot and a top-50 season would be a solid season for many, but not for a two-time major winner intent on adding to the tally. He believes he should be contending weekly and winning often. Under those standards, Schauffele was pleased with his first two rounds at Riviera. He shot 6-under on Friday to jump to 9-under overall, inside the top five entering the weekend.

“It definitely feels like I’m trying to prove something to myself again in ’26,” Schauffele said.

Schauffele’s world ranking has dipped to 13th, a far cry from where he sat after winning two majors in 2024, climbing all the way to No. 2. Back then, it was a legitimate question of who the best golfer in the world was: Scheffler or Schauffele. Nobody is having that conversation anymore, yet Schauffele believes he is still that level of golfer. He hasn’t been for a variety of reasons and he’s the first person to point that out. But now, nearly a year removed from the rib injury that hampered his 2025, Schauffele sees no excuses for himself. It’s time to get back to being that caliber of player.

He’s off to a good start. This is just the fourth time Schauffele has been inside the top 10 through 36 holes since the start of 2025.

Up-and-coming Englishman Marco Penge and American Jacob Bridgeman lead at the halfway point, but all the talk Friday at Riviera was about the guy 12 shots behind them … As Scottie Scheffler set off for the eighth tee, leaving the scene of his latest bogey at the seventh green – along with his playing partners who were still finishing out – I wondered whether that was the week.

Scheffler had the look of a down-on-his-luck pro who just shot 45 on the front nine of a Monday qualifier and was ready to walk off, throw his clubs in the trunk and catch an early flight home. His shoulders drooped as he trekked ahead alone, then he sank into a lawn chair that was set up by the eighth tee box. Of course he wouldn’t physically walk off, but mentally it appeared he was ready to, at least four shots off the cut line with the hardest stretch of Riviera still to play. “This place and I have like a weird relationship,” he would say after the round.

About two hours later, I ventured back out to the 18th green and saw Scheffler drip in a 7-footer for par and pump his fist, knowing he would play the weekend.

I’ve noticed something in these last three weeks. In the previous two events, Scheffler started poorly, only to dig himself out of the hole and nearly win. There was no tournament to win Friday, but making the cut was a small victory. He seems to be relishing those. Scheffler isn’t one to praise himself, nor make a big deal of results, but after the final round at Pebble Beach, you could see he was particularly smitten with his effort: “I’m very proud of sticking with it, not giving up even when I felt like things were going against me this week.”

You saw that again Friday. The fist pump on 18 was not some massive uppercut. It was subtle and muted, but he delivered it with enough gumption to illustrate it meant something to him. Heck, it’s more emotion than we’ve gotten from him when he sinks putts to win golf tournaments.

Scheffler enjoys the grind. Add it to the list of qualities that make him great. Shame on me for thinking a trunk slam was on the table

• 🎥 The 36-hole co-leader at Riviera Marco Penge went full golf nerd in
  

  this video earlier this week, taking us through a deep dive of his golf swing on the range. Worth a watch.

• ⛳ Want a quick catch-up on all the highlights from Round 2? Here you go.
• ❌ Who missed the cut at Riviera? Scheffler didn’t, but a few notable names did.
• 🏆 See who won the APGA’s Cisco Black History Month Classic at TPC Sawgrass Dye’s Valley Course.

• Last week, the big numbers kept Rory McIlroy from contending at Pebble Beach. Why is he in the mix this week? He’s made none so far. McIlroy has one bogey this week, the fewest in the field through two rounds. Oh, and he’s made the fourth-most birdies. That’s why he’s 11-under, one stroke back.
• Aldrich Potgieter was second in Strokes Gained: Approach on Friday. Spoke to him after and he told me it was a major priority in the offseason. He and his coach Justin Parsons eliminated some side bend in his swing, which has allowed him to work it both ways consistently. He’s also down more than 30 pounds. The offseason work is starting to pay off.
• 🍀Don’t forget a pivotal sequence that helped Scheffler turn the ship around Friday. After an errant drive left on the eighth, Scheffler got two types of relief that gave him a shot at the green. First, he got TIO relief from the grandstand, then relief from the cart path. That gave him a window to hit a shot, which he knocked on the green and escaped for par. He birdied the next three holes.