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4 Essential Golf Tips from Xander Schauffele's Baycurrent Classic Victory
By Brendon Elliott, PGA
Published on
Xander Schauffele shot 19-under 265 to win the Baycurrent Classic in Yokohama, Japan, edging out Max Greyserman by a single stroke. His victory didn't come from one spectacular skill. It came from balance. The statistics tell the story: 80% driving accuracy, 75% greens in regulation, 77.78% scrambling, and solid putting across four rounds.
"It's been over a year since I was even looking at winning a golf tournament," Schauffele said after his win. "I was probably just as nervous or more nervous as [the other players] were just because I knew I've done it before, and I had to dig kind of deep in my memory to do it again."
Four critical aspects contributed to his 10th PGA TOUR victory, and each one applies directly to your game.
1. Driving Accuracy: Find the Short Grass First
Schauffele hit 80% of his fairways at the Baycurrent Classic. That's 48 out of 60, ranking T7 in the field. His driving distance? 298.4 yards, ranked 23rd. Respectable, but not elite. Yet his accuracy set up everything else.
Conditions shifted constantly throughout the week. Schauffele described them as "very strange" with no wind, then wind, then rain all day, then back to no wind. When the weather keeps changing, finding the fairway becomes critical. You control your approach shots from the short grass. You eliminate the big numbers that ruin rounds.
Most amateurs swing out of their shoes on every tee shot, chasing distance. Schauffele proved you don't need to be the longest hitter to win. You need to get into position to execute your next shot.
Action Item: Track your fairways hit for your next three rounds. Before each tee shot, identify the widest part of the fairway and aim there, even if it means clubbing down. Set a goal of hitting 65% of fairways (9-10 per round).
2. Greens in Regulation: Give Yourself Birdie Opportunities
Schauffele hit 75% of greens in regulation during the Baycurrent Classic. That's 54 out of 72, ranking T3 in the field. Hit a green in regulation and you've got a legitimate birdie opportunity. Even if you don't make the putt, you're looking at a stress-free two-putt for par.
Look at the math. Schauffele hit 54 greens over four rounds. That's 54 birdie opportunities. Compare that to a player who hits only 50% of greens. They're in scramble mode on half the holes they play.
His 75% GIR percentage worked in harmony with his driving accuracy. By hitting fairways, he had better angles and cleaner lies for approach shots. He wasn't trying to stick every approach shot five feet from the pin. He played to the middle of greens, giving himself margin for error.
Action Item: Track your greens in regulation for five rounds and identify patterns in your misses. If you're consistently short, take one more club. Practice approach shots from 100 to 150 yards for at least 30 minutes per week. Set a goal of hitting 50% of greens (9 per round).
3. Scrambling: Save Your Round When Things Go Wrong
Even with his impressive 75% greens in regulation, Schauffele still missed 18 greens during the tournament. His scrambling percentage of 77.78% (14 out of 18) ranked 6th in the field and was crucial to his victory.
Nobody hits every green. The players who win are the ones who can save par when they miss. Schauffele's ability to get up and down nearly 80% of the time meant his misses didn't cost him strokes.
When you trust your short game, you can be more aggressive with approach shots. Schauffele saved par from bunkers 77.78% of the time (7 out of 9). Whether he missed greens in the rough, the fringe, or the sand, he had the tools to recover.
Action Item: Dedicate half of your next five practice sessions to short game work. Drop three balls in different locations around the practice green and challenge yourself to get up and down at least twice out of three.
4. Putting: Convert Your Opportunities
Schauffele averaged 1.67 putts per green in regulation, ranking T17 in the field. Not elite by PGA TOUR standards, but solid and consistent. Exactly what you need when the rest of your game is firing.
Schauffele didn't need to be the best putter in the field to win. He needed to be good enough. By hitting 75% of greens and scrambling effectively when he missed, he created enough birdie opportunities that solid putting was sufficient to secure victory.
Schauffele shot 64 in the final round with seven birdies and one bogey. On the 72nd hole, with the tournament on the line, Schauffele "calmly two-putted on the par-4 18th to close the door." That's the mark of a complete player: knowing when you need to make a putt and when you just need to avoid a mistake.
Action Item: Practice from 30-50 feet with the goal of getting every putt within three feet. Eliminate three-putts. For short putts, create pressure: make five three-footers in a row before you leave the practice green. If you miss, start over.
Bringing It All Together
Xander Schauffele's victory at the Baycurrent Classic was the product of a complete, balanced game. His 80% driving accuracy set up his 75% greens in regulation. When he missed greens, his 77.78% scrambling kept him in position. His solid putting converted enough opportunities to win by one stroke.
Golf rewards the complete player. You don't need to be the longest hitter or the best putter. You need to be solid in all areas:
- Drive it in the fairway (accuracy creates opportunities)
- Hit greens in regulation (give yourself birdie chances)
- Scramble effectively (save par when you miss)
- Putt consistently (convert your opportunities)
When you develop the full package, your scores drop, your confidence grows, and your enjoyment of the game increases.
PGA of America Golf Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. Read his recent “Playing Through” on R.org and his stories on Athlon Sports. To stay updated on his latest work, sign up for his newsletter and visit OneMoreRollGolf.com.
