Brutal Return: Xander Schauffele Gets Humbled by Bay Hill After Injury Comeback
Xander Schauffele experienced a challenging return to competitive golf at Bay Hill's Arnold Palmer Invitational after an eight-week injury layoff, shooting a five-over 77 in the first round.
The World No.3 struggled particularly during the middle of his round, recording five consecutive bogeys around the turn. Schauffele candidly admitted to getting his "a** kicked" by the challenging course conditions, which featured Major-like green setups and windy weather.
"It's a tough place to come back to, not going to lie," Schauffele said. "Palm Springs would have been nice, something like that, that would have been a little bit easier."
Despite the difficult scoring conditions, Schauffele reported no issues with his previous rib injury, saying he felt "great" physically. His main challenges came on the greens, where he struggled with reading lines and giving proper respect to certain holes.
Group of people's names in circular arrangement
There were some positive signs late in the round when the wind died down, with Schauffele noting improved shot quality. The round serves as part of his preparation for The Masters, where he'll aim for his third Major victory.
"As the wind laid down I was hitting some nice shots and, you know, that's what I was more used to," Schauffele said, maintaining an optimistic outlook despite the challenging return.