Fans made the same joke after Xander Schauffele’s record round at the PGA Championship on Thursday.
Schauffele shot a 62 during his first round of the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, which is the lowest score ever during a round at the PGA Championship. The score also matched the same low score Schauffele shot in the first round of the 2023 U.S. Open, which is the lowest score ever at a major.
Though Schauffele has charged hard at the start of those majors, he failed to close and still has not won a major during his career. He does have 12 top-10 finishes.
Even at last week’s Wells Fargo Championship, Schauffele was the early leader but was eventually surpassed by Rory McIlroy, who won the event.
The repeat of history led many to joke that it will be the same story for Schauffele — a fast start followed by a failure to finish.
I want to be the first to congratulate Xander Schauffele on another T2 at a major.
— Degenerate75 (@TheDegenerate75) May 16, 2024
Xander Schauffele holding another big lead with Rory in the top 5. pic.twitter.com/3311Dd6HC8
— Jim Szoke (@jimszoke) May 16, 2024
Schauffele staking his claim for 2nd place ⛳️
— GD (@garry1916) May 16, 2024
All of this for Sunday Schauffele to show up and shoot a 74 in the final round. pic.twitter.com/8PNG6cWkv8
— Nathan (@DrGolfguy) May 16, 2024
Waiting for for the Xander Schauffele choke in the last two rounds when the pressure intensifies #PGAChampionship
— James Chancer (@JamesChuChan) May 16, 2024
Schauffele will continue to be targeted with jokes like that until he finally gets over the hump and breaks through. He has had remarkable consistency at majors, he just hasn’t won one yet.
Xander Schauffele's recent major record is bizarre. Eight top-20s in a row but no finish better than 8th. Contending but not quite contending.
Nobody has eight top-20s in a row since Tiger in 2008! But he won four of those… pic.twitter.com/QH6TbefDbA
— Dylan Dethier (@dylan_dethier) May 16, 2024
