Xander Schauffele’s Olympic Medals

Xander Schauffele, an Olympic gold medalist and one of the world's most promising golfers, is ranked third in the Official World Golf Rankings for July 2024. The San Diego State University (SDSU) grad won five amateur titles before turning professional at the age of 22 in 2015.

Being born and raised in San Diego, California, Schauffele went to Scripps Ranch High School, graduating in 2012, and enrolled at the California State University, Long Beach, for his freshman year, which changed to SDSU in his sophomore year.

Schauffele has had 11 professional wins in his nine-year professional career. The most notable were his one-stroke victory over Bryson DeChambeau in the 2024 PGA Championship and his 2017 Tour Championship win. However, he did not win the FedEx Cup at the latter event, as Justin Thomas had accumulated more points throughout the season, making him the eventual champion.

Has Xander Schauffele won an Olympic medal?

Yes, Xander Schauffele has won a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the individual men's event for 266 under 18. Rory Sabbatini of Slovakia ended the final round on -17, but the Californian's final putt made him win.

At the 17th and 18th holes, Schauffele and Sabbatini were tied for first, but the former regained the lead at the 17th from 6 feet, then hit the wedge to four feet and made the par to win after a poor tee shot that had him play short of the water.

When asked about the pressure he felt at the time, he stated that he did his best to remain calm and that he felt relieved following his final stroke. This Olympic victory meant a lot to the Schauffele family, as Xander stated that he wanted to win for his father, Stefan, who was also an aspiring Olympic decathlete before a car accident ended his career.

Stefan has been Xander's swing coach his entire life, and his father's experience has helped him remain calm in such situations; he taught him the mental toughness required for an athlete through breathing exercises to focus and concentrate.

Regardless, Schauffele's great-grandfather, Richard Schauffele, was a prominent German discus and javelin thrower who missed the 1936 Olympics due to a shoulder injury. As a result, after earning a gold medal in the 2020 Olympics, Schauffele fulfilled his family's ambition.