Xander Schauffele Plans Arnold Palmer Invitational Return Following Rib Injury Recovery
Xander Schauffele plans to return from his rib injury at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, starting March 6 at Bay Hill Golf Club and Lodge in Orlando. The two-time major champion has been sidelined for over a month with an acute intercostal strain/micro tear sustained during the offseason.
After playing in The Sentry and the first TGL match, Schauffele had to withdraw from the American Express to rest. The 31-year-old opted to skip both the Farmers Insurance Open and Genesis Invitational, citing concerns about the thick rough potentially aggravating his injury.
"Taking the Genesis off gives me three weeks leading into Bay Hill," Schauffele told Golfweek. "I want to get as many reps under the belt before the Masters. It would be nice to get the competitive blood flowing a few times before going into a really big event and also have the Players coming up."
Schauffele is prioritizing a full recovery to avoid any setbacks. "Everyone I've talked to said the worst thing you can do is come back too soon. Guys have told me about being hurt 6-12 weeks later. I don't want to deal with a stop and go. Once I'm back, I just want to go."
With the Masters approaching and his strong track record at Augusta National (four top-10 finishes in six starts), Schauffele is focused on ensuring both his body and game are fully prepared for the year's first major championship.