Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth are each ‘only’ one major championship victory away from completing the career grand slam. After hoisting the Claret Jug at Royal Troon, Xander Schauffele has now checked two of the four major championship boxes after also winning the PGA Championship earlier in the year.
Despite the fact that he’ll need to climb golf’s most daunting mountains two more times, Schauffele’s camp is confident that he’ll complete the career grand slam before anyone else of his generation.
Stefan Schauffele, Xander’s father who relishes any opportunity to say whatever is on his mind, staked his claim shortly after his son’s conquering of Royal Troon.
“It’s up to you guys to take a look at the statistics and see who has the greatest potential of being the next career grand-slammer because I think he’s the one who has the game,” he said. “Yes, I’m being subjective but I think, objectively, you will arrive at the same conclusion.”
Recency bias is a very real thing, especially when we’re talking about a supportive father going to bat for his son, but another way to look at the elder Schauffele’s comments is that he’s not shying away from the moment and not bothered by adding pressure on his son to accomplish golf’s greatest challenge.
Schauffele’s caddie, Austin Kaiser, is in the same camp and has already been in his boss’ ear about winning all four of golf’s major championships.
“After Xander won the PGA, I looked at him and said, ‘Let’s go for the grand slam’,” Austin Kaiser said. “Let’s do it. Why not? He’s right there. He’s played well in Augusta. He’s played well in the US Open. I definitely could see him achieving that. No problem.”
Kaiser’s “no problem” at the end of that statement is as confident as it gets. To suggest winning the career slam is ‘no problem’ is bold, but then again, that’s the mindset one has to have if they want to become the seventh member of the career grand slam crowd.
Schauffele will turn 31 years old in October. The number of chances he should have to contend at major championships will be aplenty, but this is professional golf. McIlroy is entering year 11 without winning a major, something nobody in the world could have predicted a decade ago.
