'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Despite losing to Scottie Scheffler last weekend, Xander Schauffele believes he's capable of beating the World No. 1. He admitted that Scheffler is the current mountaintop that everyone else is trying to reach and assured that he is someone who can get the job done.
Schauffele, who lost by just one stroke despite leading after three rounds last weekend, was asked if it was frustrating to fall short against Scheffler. He replied (via SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio):
"I wouldn't say it's frustrating. I feel like I can beat Scottie Scheffler. He's hard to beat and I need to show up with everything that I have to beat him, but when he's on. He's our number one for a reason and he's showing that. He's doing it, the come-from-behind wins."
Schauffele expressed that he isn't frustrated by Scheffler's recent success, as he believes he can secure a win against him, eventually. He continued by praising his counterpart and vowed to keep working towards achieving the level of success Scheffler has attained.
"He's been showing out very often," Schauffele said. "I don't think it's frustrating, it's more inspiring for me. He's someone that we're all chasing down, we all want to beat. It's pretty cool for him, I'm sure, knowing that everyone wants to beat him. He's just sitting up top smiling. I'm just going to keep chasing him. I'm not going to give up any fight, even if it's too big for me."
Scheffler is on a great run right now. He came from five strokes back to top Schauffele at the Players Championship. It took a -8 showing to win, as Schauffele was two under in round four and ended up in a three-way tie for second.
That was his second consecutive win at The Players Championship, making him the first player in history to achieve this feat, and his second consecutive win of the season overall. Just the week before, he claimed victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Scottie Scheffler will try to continue his impressive run of form
It's a fantastic time of year to be in such top form. Scottie Scheffler has won a Signature Event and the tournament is often regarded as the 'Fifth Major.' These two wins alone are sufficient to mark an entire season as a success, but Scheffler isn't finished yet.
There are a few tournaments in between now and the Masters, though Scheffler might not play them all. He's not in the field for the Valspar Championship, but he will probably have to play before the Masters on April 11.
Nonetheless, it's an ideal time to be playing at such a high level with the first Major just around the corner in less than a month. While securing those two prestigious wins is indeed remarkable, adding another green jacket to his collection would be a remarkable achievement for Scheffler, marking his second Major win.
He has not yet won at the PGA Championship (T2 last year), US Open (T2 in 2022) or the Open Championship (T8 in 2021), but those may be stories for another day.
