Xander Schauffele has admitted that he drank a little bit more than he normally does after he won The Open Championship last year. The 31-year-old saw off the challenge of Justin Rose to win the 152nd Open Championship at the end of a thrilling week at Royal Troon last July. Schauffele celebrated in an unusual way afterwards and he has now revealed that he almost became an alcoholic.
Schauffele Confesses: I Drank a Little Bit More
Xander Schauffele clinched his second major title in three months at The Open Championship last year, becoming the first player to win The Open and PGA Championship in the same year since Rory McIlroy in 2014. He hit a stunning bogey-free six-under 65 to finish on nine under, two clear of his playing partner Rose, who shot a 67 in a thrilling duel in breezy conditions. Rose was briefly in the lead after three birdies in his opening seven holes, but Schauffele surged three clear of his fellow Olympic gold medallist with an incredible run of five birdies in nine holes from the sixth.
In a recent interview, Schauffele opened up about life after winning his first Open title. He shared what the moment meant to him and how he allowed himself to enjoy the win in a way he normally wouldn’t. The American was recently asked how much his life had changed since he won The Open last year.
“I mean, I feel like for a little bit, I drank a bit more than I normally do,” he said with a smile. “That’s probably the biggest change in my life that I had. Was, you know, trending towards an alcoholic. But no, it’s been awesome.”
Schauffelle Reflects on Life After Winning The Open
The win at Royal Troon was emotional and exhausting. It marked the peak of an incredible run in 2024, and Schauffele made sure to enjoy it. But after the celebrations faded, things didn’t stay perfect. He struggled with form, momentum, and confidence.
Rather than riding a wave of success into 2025, Schauffele found himself having to reset. The expectations he carried as an Open champion didn’t make things easier. If anything, they weighed him down. Schauffelle was further asked if he found himself under more pressure as an Open champion going into any tournament.
“I really don’t feel like it’s been a weird year for me just from coming off my, you know, the year I had last year, and sort of what I did, just kind of disappearing and then playing bad, coming out of it,” Schauffele said. “So any expectations I had of whatever I thought I was capable of doing, you know, from a field standpoint, last year has been sort of reset and I am in full chase mode like a kid.”
Main Photo Credit: © Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
