Xander Schauffele truly seized the moment this past week in his first major championship start at the U.S. Open. The unknown 23-year-old opened in 6-under 66, followed with 73 and fired a third-round 70 to put himself in contention entering Sunday at Erin Hills. He would finish with 69 to tie for 5th place in the championship.
For non-golf enthusiasts, this is a very big deal. It’s comparable to a basketball player contending for series MVP in the NBA finals during his rookie season.
“I had nothing to lose coming out here,” said Schauffele, who has earned a 2018 U.