Xander Schauffele made a personal choice this week while his U.S. Ryder Cup teammates tuned up in Napa, setting the stage for what comes next at Bethpage

Xander Schauffele is absent as his Ryder Cup teammates head to a key event ahead of the showdown at Bethpage(Image: Getty)

As his Ryder Cup–bound teammates converged in Napa for the Procore Championship this week, Xander Schauffele charted his own course — as a new father.

With his wife Maya recently giving 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 to their son, Victor, Schauffele chose to stay home in Florida, becoming the lone PGA Tour–based U.S. Ryder Cup member to skip the tune-up event. His absence wasn’t surprising; earlier this season, he’d hinted that he might not play if he felt it wouldn’t serve his preparation for the biennial showdown at Bethpage Black, and made a worrying admission last month ahead of the tournament.

Throughout 2025, Schauffele’s play has been uncharacteristically rocky. After bursting onto the scene with a pair of major victories in 2024, he was derailed early this year by a rib cartilage injury that kept him sidelined for about six weeks.

Upon returning, he never quite regained the form that made him a dominant force. Although he extended his impressive PGA Tour made-cut streak, he managed only three top-10 finishes, two of which came in majors: a T8 at the Masters and a T7 at The Open Championship.

By August, the signs of frustration were clear. Schauffele dropped out of contention for the Tour Championship for the first time in his career and admitted he was “mentally tapped,” craving a break to reset his mindset.

“If I don’t think playing is going to help me, then I won’t play,” he said at the BMW Championship. Ultimately, he opted against joining the Procore Championship field, even as his Ryder Cup teammates rallied in California.

"There's nothing worse than trying your hardest and playing like ass."

Xander Schauffele gave a blunt assessment of his performance in 2025. 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/hafBDb11g7

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) August 18, 2025

Captain Keegan Bradley had strongly encouraged team participation in Napa, keen to avoid a repeat of 2023’s sluggish team performance, when most U.S. members lacked competition before the event.

In contrast, this year’s plan included ten American players teeing it up at the Procore, bonding and racking up match readiness posturing in front of the Ryder Cup.

Bryson DeChambeau joins Schauffele as the two members not in attendance, as the LIV Golf star cannot participate in PGA events.

Schauffele’s place on the team was never in doubt. He secured his Ryder Cup spot with a solid finish, a tie for 22nd at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, and maintains his standing as world No. 3.

Xander Schauffele has won a total of 13 professional tournaments, including nine PGA Tour victories(Image: Getty)v

His track record in past Ryder Cups, especially his stellar 3–1–0 showing in 2021, adds to his value, even as he enters the event seeking a mental and competitive reboot.

On the European side, players are sharpening up at the BMW PGA Championship, with only Sepp Straka absent due to welcoming a new𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 of his own.

Both teams enter the final stretch of buildup looking to fine-tune rosters, strategies and mental cohesion ahead of the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black on Sept. 26–28.