Xander Schauffele, the renowned golf professional, is making a bold comeback at the Arnold Palmer Invitational held at Bay Hill, marking only his second PGA Tour start of the year 2025. Prior to this, his last appearance was at the season-opening Kapalua, where he concluded with a T30 finish.
Schauffele’s brief hiatus from the greens was forced due to a challenging intercostal muscle tear, a troublesome injury given the muscle’s location. Nevertheless, the tenacious golfer has been making strides towards a rigorous recovery, recently participating in the latest TGL fixture at New York GC on Monday evening. His return to the golf circuit is anticipated to reach its zenith at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Bay Hill, notorious for its rigorous challenge, is all set to put to test the mettle of some of the world’s best golfers this week. This includes the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Aberg, and Justin Thomas, all ready to display their best strokes.
Schauffele, after a practice round on Tuesday, is under no delusions about the tough contest he is set to face this weekend. He candidly spoke to Todd Lewis of Golf Channel, confessing that the back nine of Bay Hill was a brutal experience.
Recounting his preparation, Schauffele said, “I played nine holes on a par-three course with JT, and then I played 18 holes with some of the boys in Jupiter. Then, I had my TGL match yesterday, so I am hot and ready. Good thing Bay Hill is pretty easy! It was a brutal nine holes I just played and a good wake-up call for me. Like I said, I am going to have to go to a special place mentally.”
Providing an update on his injury, Schauffele mentioned that his muscle strain has been completely healed, as confirmed by multiple MRI scans and consultations with various specialists. He humorously quipped, “Just a small tear, that’s what the radiologist told me. Like I said, I have had two MRIs, a CT scan, and an ultrasound, and everything has come back clean. So it’s all in my head.”
With Bay Hill’s rough expected to present formidable conditions this week, Schauffele’s physical resilience is set to be pushed to its limits. His primary objective at the Arnold Palmer Invitational is to emerge unscathed.
Subsequent to this, the focus will shift to The Players Championship scheduled next week, leading up to the grandeur of Augusta National, where the year’s first major championship is set to unfold.