Xander Schauffele Clarifies Father’s Comments During the Ryder Cup

At this week’s PGA Tour stop in Japan, a few members of the U.S. Ryder Cup team are teeing off for the first time since losing the event to the European team a few weeks ago.

In a field led by Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and defending champ Keegan Bradley, here’s who we like at the Zozo Championship.https://t.co/bLc0YVQ3wj

— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) October 18, 2023

Included in that group is Xander Schauffele, who said prior to the ZOZO Championship that his father may have taken a bit too much criticism for his comments during the event in Italy. 

Xander Schauffele said at a press conference in Japan:

“If you look at what he said, I wasn’t super fired up that he was speaking to media just because I know how things get twisted. I had to look back at what he said specifically and he specifically said that if the tournament’s for-profit, then players should get paid. He also said that if it’s charitable — it should be a charitable event most likely and that everything should get donated.”

Stefan Schauffele spoke to several media outlets last month and even intimated that his son was going to have his invitation to the event revoked since he didn’t agree to giving Netflix filming rights in the locker room. He also suggested, in jest, that Patrick Cantlay wasn’t wearing a Team USA hat to protest not being paid for the event. 

At the time when Cantlay was asked about it, Xander Schauffele interjected and said, “I apologize for anything my father said.” 

But after reading what he said, Schauffele had his dad’s back. 

🚨 | Here’s Xander Schauffele explaining his father’s comments about whether or not Ryder Cup players should be paid.

Schauffele was reportedly threatened with being kicked out of the U.S. Ryder Cup side over a contractual dispute with the PGA of America. pic.twitter.com/MfUTF9OQlS

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Schauffele added:

“When I look back on what he said, I think the headlines sort of skewed obviously what he was trying to say, but I don’t think he ever really spoke directly to what you’re referring to in terms of players getting paid. He just said it should be either/or, not really as confusing as it is.

The confusion he’s referring to is the PGA Tour taking a cut of the television rights money and distributing it to members as part of its pension fund. 

Ryder Cup players are not paid but are given $200,000 each to donate to a charity of their choice. 

Stefan Schauffele said that if the members of the team are being used for that purpose, they should be included in earning a share of that money. He said the PGA Tour should strictly keep it either a for-profit or charitable event.

Cover Image via Golf Magazine