June 18, 2024, 04:57 pm ET
Xander Schauffele can empathize with Rory McIlroy’s decision to withdraw from this week’s Travelers Championship and take some time off after his collapse at the US Open.
McIlroy missed two short putts on the final three holes on Sunday and finished 1 shot behind Bryson DeChambeau at Pinehurst No. 2. He quickly left the course without speaking to reporters and announced Monday that he will step away from play until the Scottish Open in next month.
“As a competitor, we’ve all had our ups and downs to some degree. It’s a tough situation,” Schauffele, who won the PGA Championship in May, said when asked about McIlroy. “I’m sure he and his team are discussing what happened, and sometimes you just need to step away from it all and try to be as objective as possible, because you’re in the moment and obviously it wasn’t like that.” “It doesn’t follow his path and he just, you know, needs some time to figure out what’s going on.”
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McIlroy’s decade-long drought will last at least until the Open Championship in July. He acknowledged on Monday that Sunday was “probably the toughest day” of his professional career, but vowed to show resilience when he returns for the Scottish Open, followed by the Open at Royal Troon.
“It’s different for everyone. It’s hard for me to compare my losses to theirs,” Schauffele said. “I’d say he’s under a little more of a microscope. When things are going really well, people get on him. And, unfortunately, when things don’t go your way, people get on him.
“So, there’s a microscope on him about why he didn’t win and things of that nature. And he’s going to have to answer those questions at some point, and he will, because he always does. So, for me, I use They’re pretty difficult, but “Sometimes it’s nice to just get back on the horse and compete.”
Schauffele tied for seventh at the US Open, the seventh top 10 in the last eight starts for the No. 3-ranked player entering the final flagship event of the year.
Schauffele also secured one of four spots on the U.S. team for the Paris Olympics, where she will defend her gold medal in August.
“It’s super special,” Schauffele said. “It’s always an honor to represent your country in any tournament or event, so it was something really cool that I got to share with my family after winning the gold medal, and qualifying was my first goal this year. It’s a very difficult task. team to qualify, as you have seen on this American side.
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