Rushing into the course without properly being fit can be a recipe for disaster, even for the world’s top golfers. For instance, consider Tiger Woods’s situation back in 2014. He aggravated his back issues by returning to the course too quickly. It ultimately forced him to withdraw from the Honda Classic. Will Zalatoris faced a similar fate. The only difference is that his case is more recent (2023); he attempted to play through his already-injured back, resulting in surgery and a seven-month absence from competition.
Looking at these cases and more, you’d hope that your favorite golfers are always prepared before their intense battles on the greens. Thankfully, that seems to be the case with Xander Schauffele now. In case you missed the trouble preventing this World No. 2 from stepping onto the field again, let us give you a quick glimpse into the reason. The American champion is currently recovering from an acute intercostal strain with a microtear in his rib cage. This injury worsened when he attempted to play through discomfort at this year’s Sentry Tour.
Although golf fans have eagerly awaited the sight of him on the course, Schauffele hasn’t been active in a PGA Tour field for more than six weeks. He was expected to make a comeback at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. However, after a source close to him expressed doubt about that possibility, fans cannot help but discuss the likelihood of him losing his 2nd position in the OWGR to Rory McIlroy, who registered a win at this year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
But is it all gloom in the Xander Schauffele fandom? Thankfully, no. Xander Schauffele and his team have taken it upon themselves to keep the anxiety as far away as possible when it comes to this. Especially with Schauffele breaking his silence with his recent update on Instagram. In the latest Instagram post, fans saw Xander Schauffele working out in the gym. The caption reads, “Thanks for all the support! Working hard on getting back ASAP ”
While we all hope for a stunning Schauffele return this season, fans may understandably doubt whether he will be in his best shape to compete. However, don’t feel too discouraged just yet! With this update, many people are anticipating his return this season. Let’s take a look at them.
The golf community is hyped for the return of the superstar, Xander Schauffele
It’s all ups and downs in Xander Schauffele’s space now. Think back to when Schauffele shared his anxiety and mentioned he had received advice against coming back too soon. After that, Dan Rapaport admitted that the young golfer is “hopeful” for his return, even though things don’t look too good for him. Regardless, with the recent update, fans were quick to shower Schauffele with love and support for a possible return.
Taking up space in his latest post’s comment section, the official Callaway Golf account replied, “ITCHIN’! ”
Similarly, many golf enthusiasts had similar reactions to his latest post. One fan wrote, “Minor setback for a major comeback,” encouraging the 31-year-old golfer to focus on a safe return. Another fan claimed that the experience on the greens doesn’t feel the same without Schauffele. A third fan expressed hope and said, “that green jacket is going to look good on you!!” Interestingly, this comes in the same breath as when Schauffele mentioned that he dreams of putting on the green jacket or having “someone putting it on me on the 18th green, that’s what I try and envision.” Surely, his fans aim to see the same.
With likes from the official accounts of the PGA Tour, Justin Thomas, Akshay Bhatia, and Rickie Fowler, it’s reasonable to say that the golf community is hyped for his return. With the situation looking like this, what do you think about Xander Schauffele’s return this season?
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