World No. 2 Xander Schauffele has been in trouble for most of the season with a rib injury and told Golfweek that his goal is to return next month at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Schauffele became the best season for a pro player, winning his first major title in the PGA Championship and then won the Open a few weeks later.
But he told Golf in a story posted Friday that he hurt the rib cage during the offseason, trying to open the season in Hawaii (he ended No. 30) before realizing it would be better to close it and recover. . Since then, he has missed signature events such as Pebble Beach Pro-Am and this week’s Genesis Invitational and quits from American Express and Farmers Insurance Open.
He has also been unable to play for his New York golf club TGL team since opening night.
“I need more TLC, especially 31-to-25 and make sure everything is oiled correctly,” he told Golfweek. “I think I’ll be fine and keep playing in Sentry and the first TGL game. I’m almost eavesdropped. I know it’s getting worse and it takes time.”
Schauffele said he had been playing but wasn’t comfortable enough to feel like he could play for a four-day game. But he said he thinks he should be prepared by Arnold Palmer of another signature event from March 6 to 9 and before the player title later in March, then in April Masters preparation.
“With a very thick roughness, I have the potential to attack myself again,” Schauffele told GolfWeek. “Everyone I talked to said that the worst thing you can do will be back soon. Guys told me Injured after 6-12 weeks. I don’t want to deal with it. Once I come back, I just want to go.
