YOKOHAMA, Japan — It could not have been Xander Schauffele’s most prestigious match victory, but it surely must be the American’s most memorable.
Schauffele shot a 7-under 64 on Sunday to win the Bay Present Traditional in Japan, the place his mom grew up and the place he has many ties.
Schauffele shot 19-under 265 in 4 rounds at Yokohama Nation Membership, ending one stroke behind American Max Glaserman, who additionally completed runner-up on this match a 12 months in the past, aiming for his first PGA Tour title.
Schauffele’s maternal grandparents dwell in Japan, and her mom has roots in Taiwan and grew up in Japan. His mother-in-law can be Japanese, and his spouse is half-Japanese and grew up in Okinawa, an island within the south of Japan.
“I have been coming right here to see my grandparents since I used to be about 9 years previous,” Schauffele mentioned. “I fell in love with this nation a very long time in the past, and I can not wait to deliver my son right here when he is sufficiently old to understand and admire the tradition right here in Japan.”
“Sure, we’ve deep ties with the Schauffele household right here in Japan,” he added.
Schauffele and his spouse Maya turned mother and father with the start of their son a couple of month in the past.
“It is nonetheless a bit new, but it surely’s undoubtedly nice to be a father, and I am actually wanting ahead to going house to him and Maya after this,” Schauffele mentioned.
Schauffele obtained cheers from members of the family in attendance in the course of the match, together with his 81-year-old grandmother, who walked the course with him. There’ll possible be a “gathering” with household to have fun at a later date, he mentioned.
“I do not see them fairly often, however they’re all the time prepared to make time to come back out irrespective of the place the occasion is,” he mentioned. “They have been nice for me and that is so nice. I needed to share the win with them so I can not wait to be with them.”
Glaserman completed with a 65 after sustaining or sharing the lead by the primary three rounds. American Michael Thorbjornsen completed with a 64, three strokes behind the winner.
Schauffele has gained two majors, together with his final championship in 2024 on the British Open Championship, and gained gold on the Tokyo Olympics, which have been postponed to 2021 because of the pandemic. He has a reasonably lengthy listing of different PGA Tour titles, however this one is totally different.
Mushy situations and nonetheless wind led to a low rating. American Matt McCarty shot an 11-under 60. He nonetheless completed 9 strokes behind. Japan’s Takumi Kanaya completed with a 9-under 62, leaving him 5 factors behind the winner.
McCarty had an opportunity at 58, however crashed right into a tree on the ultimate gap and settled for a bogey 60. Jim Furyk holds the PGA Tour file with a 58 within the last spherical of the 2016 Vacationers Championship.
