Xander Schauffele described why the tough course for the Arnold Palmer Invitational is ideal preparation for main tournaments.

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Xander Schauffele is likely one of the most proficient golfers on the planet, at present holding down the No. 6 spot within the OWGR.

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Schauffele has established himself as a daily contender on the Tour’s hardest checks, too; he’s a daily contender in main championships and has by no means completed worse than T14 in six U.S. Opens. However even Schauffele continues to be baffled at simply how tough Tour setups can get — together with this week. And with the Arnold Palmer Invitational returning to Bay Hill Membership and Lodge, Schauffele mentioned why the course is an ideal prep for main programs.

Speaking to the media throughout a Tuesday press convention, he not solely stated Bay Hill is “good prep for a significant,” however he additionally described simply how brutal the setup appears to be like, together with one function of the tough he’s by no means seen earlier than.

“They began mowing the tough in direction of tee packing containers, which is simply completely horrendous. It makes it so tough. Each time you miss the golf green, you’re sitting underground or making an attempt to love, discover a bunker you possibly can hit your subsequent ball into, or in the event you can cowl 100 yards over a hazard otherwise you identify it.”

The tough mow sample within the tough is simply one of many modifications that Schauffele has observed since final enjoying the Arnold Palmer Invitational a few years in the past. He additionally talked concerning the placing surfaces — fairly agency, if on the slower aspect this early within the week — and defined simply how laborious it’s to recuperate from a troublesome spot.

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“Out right here, in the event you’re out of place, you’d be fortunate to have a 40- or 50-footer. Sometimes, you’re going to have a 30-yard bunker shot or a 20-yard bunker shot, relying on the place the pins are. Simply since you hit an incredible drive doesn’t imply you’re going to have a good look on birdie. You must maintain it occurring each shot just about on each gap.”

Schauffele is trying so as to add to his seven PGA Tour victories this week and, later this yr, to seek out his first main victory. Whereas he has a top-10 end at every of the 4 in his profession, he hopes that enjoying tournaments and programs like this weekend’s will problem him tactically, bodily and mentally and assist him tune up for locations like Augusta Nationwide.

“The extent of problem they’re placing up right here is actual. So it’s positively good prep for a significant and positively will get you, or it ought to get you very dialed in.”

Nick Dimengo
Patacon.org Editor