Fansided

Xander Schauffele snaps sophomore slump with win in China

By David Salituro

SHANGHAI, CHINA - OCTOBER 28: Xander Schauffele of the United States celebrates with the winner's trophy after the final round of the WGC - HSBC Champions at Sheshan International Golf Club on October 28, 2018 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
SHANGHAI, CHINA - OCTOBER 28: Xander Schauffele of the United States celebrates with the winner's trophy after the final round of the WGC - HSBC Champions at Sheshan International Golf Club on October 28, 2018 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images) /
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Xander Schauffele won the WGC-HSBC Champions on Sunday in a playoff over Tony Finau for his first win since his breakout rookie season

Xander Schauffele was determined his third season on the PGA Tour go better than his second. So far, so good.

Schauffele birdied the first extra hole on Sunday to beat Tony Finau in a playoff at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai. It’s his third career PGA title, but first since his breakthrough rookie year in 2017.

Schauffele began the final round at Sheshan International Golf Club three shots behind leader Finau. Cutting the deficit to just one going to the 17th, he converted an 18-foot birdie putt on the par-three to tie. At the par-five 18th, both Finau and Schauffele hit the green with their second shot and two-putted for birdie to finish at 14-under, forcing a sudden death playoff.

Heading back to the 18th tee, Finau hit his drive into a fairway bunker and had to lay up. Schauffele, meanwhile, again found the green in two, leaving him with a 20-footer for eagle. When Finau failed to get up-and-down for birdie, Schauffele was able to two-putt to seal the slump-busting victory.

After the round, Schauffele admitted his strong finish caught him by surprise. “When I was signing my card,” he told Golf Channel, “I was like, oh, wow, I actually went birdie, birdie to get in this playoff. I wasn’t really, you know, it’s just my own world out there.” His four-under round of 68 on Sunday was the lowest of the day.

Schauffele, who celebrated his 25th birthday on Thursday, burst onto the tour two years ago, winning both the Greenbrier Classic and season-ending Tour Championship. The PGA Rookie of the Year that season, he looked to continue that success in his sophomore campaign.

It wasn’t to be, however. Schauffele went without a victory in 2018. He had some close calls, finishing second at the Players Championship and Open Championship, and tied for sixth at the U.S. Open. But another win eluded him, and it appeared like he was suffering through a sophomore slump.

He came into the 2018-19 season looking to end that slump, and did just that on Sunday. It’s something he admits was a goal of his beginning this season.

“Last season, I really wanted to sort of justify my rookie year by winning, and I wasn’t able to do that,” he said. “But I guess it wasn’t the same season but the same calendar year, so I’ll take it.”

For Finau, one of the most physically talented and athletic golfers on tour, it’s another opportunity gone by. Finau has just one win in his career, and that came more than two years ago at the Puerto Rican Open played opposite the WGC-Match Play.

Defending champion Justin Rose, who had a chance to retake the No. 1 world ranking with a win this week, finished in third place, four shots behind Schauffele and Finau. Brooks Koepka, playing his first event as the top player in the world, tied for 16th.

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