Xander Schauffele drops huge hint over PGA Tour future amid LIV Golf talks
Xander Schauffele appears to have put any chance of him joining LIV Golf to bed, after the Olympic champion committed to playing in the PGA Tour's 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am next month.
Schauffele's name is one that has been linked to the breakaway circuit on the back of its inception last summer. A number of the PGA Tour's biggest names have opted to make the Saudi switch since last June, including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau.
When it comes to Schauffele though, it appears the American star is opting to stay with the PGA Tour for now, with the 30-year-old kicking off his 2024 campaign at one of the circuit's most historic events.
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The seven-time PGA Tour winner was one of a number of stars to receive an offer from the LIV setup, but opted to turn it down. And despite their being a lucrative amount of money on the table for the American, he has no regrets over turning
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Schauffele told Today's Golfer last month: "I haven’t really thought a whole lot about it [LIV Golf offer]," he added. "I don’t sit here and think, oh gosh, I should have pursued that more or anything of that nature. I’m pretty content with where I’m at and what I’ve done.”
Despite pledging his allegiance to the PGA Tour, Schauffele is one of a number of players who have shared their discontent with the circuit's leadership, following their decision to join forces with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF). The proposed deal will see the Tour work in unison with their LIV rivals, after being involved in a year-long feud with the breakaway league.
Xander Schauffele turned down a LIV Golf offer (Getty Images)The American initially claimed he felt a sense of 'betrayal' when it came to the Tour's Saudi U-turn, and in the months following has called on the likes of commissioner Jay Monahan to be replaced from their roles. "I wouldn’t mind seeing some new leadership take place on our circuit,” Schauffele added.
"I would be lying if I said that I have a whole lot of trust after what happened. That’s definitely the consensus that I get when I talk to a lot of guys. It’s a bit contradictory when they call it ‘our Tour’ and things can happen without us even knowing.
"It’s hard. I’m sure there are reasons for what happened, but at the same time, it puts us in a really hard spot to trust the leadership that did some stuff in the dark and is supposed to have our best interests at heart." When it comes to next month trip to Pebble Beach, the 30-year-old will join a number of fellow big names.
As well as Schauffele, six European Ryder Cup stars in Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton and Justin Rose will all tee it up. The 30-year-old will also be joined by two of his U.S. teammates, with Jordan Spieth and Wyndham Clark in the field.
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