Xander Schauffele made $408.53 equipment change ahead of the Paris Olympics to flirt with a gold medal for United States

Xander Schauffele is one of the leaders in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games golf event right now. After 54 holes, he is tied with Jon Rahm at 14-under for the top spot. One of the factors behind his success so far is a significant change in his bag.

Schauffele is using the Callaway Apex Utility Wood at Le Golf National. This is a regular club in his bag, but the two-time major champion had left it at home for the two weeks in Scotland leading up to the Olympic event.

The reason is that both the Renaissance Club and the Royal Troon Golf Club are link courses, where Xander Schauffele preferred to work with the Mizuno MP-20 3-iron. The conditions at Le Golf National led him back to the utility wood.

The Callaway Apex UW is a 2021 club. It has tungsten parts strategically placed in the head that allow for increased tee height and consistent rotation. It also eliminates draw bias. Callaway's official online store offers this club for $408.53.

Callaway is one of Xander Schauffele's primary sponsors. The player signed with the brand in January 2018, and since then, his bag has primarily been stocked with their clubs and balls. Schauffele also wears Callaway headwear.

What's in Xander Schauffele's bag at Paris 2024?

Except for the Callaway Apex UW, Xander Schauffele is not one to make drastic changes to his bag. Schauffele is leading Olympic golf with the same equipment he used to win the PGA Championship last May:

• Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond, with Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana PD 70TX shaft
• 3-Wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond with Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana PD 80TX shaft
• Utility wood: Callaway Apex UW (21°) with MCA Diamana D+ 90TX Shaft
• Irons: Callaway Apex TCB prototype Irons (4-PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 Shafts
• Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw Wedge (52), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 56-10 S-grind, Vokey WedgeWorks 60-06 K-grind
• Grips: Golf Pride MCC Align
• Putter: Odyssey Las Vegas Prototype Putter
• Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour Golf Ball

Schauffele played the first round of the 2024 Paris Olympics with seven birdies and one bogey (6 under) to tie for second place. One day later, he carded seven birdies and two bogeys (5-under) to tie for first place at 11-under.

In the third round, Schauffele carded an eagle, two birdies and a bogey for a 3-under total. He remains tied for the lead with Rahm.

Schauffele has a chance to win his second consecutive Olympic gold medal. He would be the first player in history to accomplish this feat.

Olympic golf has only ever had one individual multi-medalist. That is New Zealand's Lydia Ko, who won silver in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and bronze in Tokyo in 2021.

Olympic golf has had three other multi-medalists, but they won an individual medal and a team medal at the 1904 edition. That was the only time team golf was included in the Olympic program.