Xander Schauffele did not have his dad and longtime coach, Stefan, with him on Sunday when he won his first major at the PGA Championship.
In fact, Stefan was 4,400 miles away in Kauai, Hawaii, where he’s been staying in a shipping container without television.
According to Golf.com, Stefan is overseeing construction of what will become a ‘family compound’ on 22 acres of farmland.
Stefan reportedly did not watch most of the tournament’s opening stages, but made his way to a local sports bar on Saturday before watching his son win on Sunday at some friends’ vacation rental.
‘I was actually able to call him when I was standing, waiting to walk onto the 18th green,’ Schauffele told reporters after his win.
Xander Schauffele celebrated his first major win as he captured the PGA Championship
Schauffele’s dad, Stefan, has served as his swing coach his entire life. Schauffele also works with coach Chris Como.
Schauffele and his father look on prior to the 43rd Ryder Cup in 2021 in Kohler, Wisconsin
‘He was a mess. He was crying on the phone. It made me pretty emotional. I told him I had to hang up because I had to walk down. I couldn’t show up looking like the way I was.’
Stefan added to Golf.com, ‘I just started crying. Finally it happened. Finally, that happened,’ he said, inevitability replaced by wonder.
‘I was just observing until he won – and then I let the emotions go. At that moment I was helpless. Give me the Kleenex box.’
While Schauffele is now the No. 2 player in the world, Sunday marked his first major victory in what had been a career of almosts.
The 30-year-old had produced six top-five finishes in majors before his PGA Championship win, including runner-up finishes in The Masters and British Open respectively.
Stefan, seen in 2021, said he cried after his son clinched the PGA Championship
Schauffele said after his win that he talked to his dad before walking onto the 18th green
Schauffele has been coached by his dad for his entire career, though he has also started to work with swing coach Chris Como.
‘Now that I’m working with Chris, he feels like he can kind of take his hands off the wheel. He trusts him a lot, I trust him a lot,’ Schauffele added.
‘My dad is at that stage in his life, I really want him to be happy, and I know this is going to bring him a ton of joy where he’s at in Hawai’i right now.’
