Xander Schauffele's Dramatic Recovery at Bay Hill: From Frying Pan Shot to Cut Streak Extension
Xander Schauffele extended his impressive PGA Tour cut streak to 58 tournaments at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, despite facing significant challenges during Friday's round.
After shooting a five-over 77 in the opening round, Schauffele battled back with three birdies through 10 holes. However, consecutive double-bogeys on holes 11 and 12 put his streak in jeopardy.
Getty Images
Showing remarkable resilience, Schauffele responded with three crucial birdies on holes 13, 14, and 16, including two 30-foot putts. Despite a bogey on 18, he finished at +4 to make the cut by one shot.
This achievement is particularly notable as it was only Schauffele's second start of 2025 following a two-month absence due to an intercostal strain.
While impressive, Schauffele's streak remains well behind Tiger Woods' PGA Tour record of 142 consecutive made cuts. Other notable streaks include:
- Byron Nelson: 113
- Jack Nicklaus: 105
- Hale Irwin: 86
"I knew it was going to be tough and I'm glad I'm proud to make the weekend," Schauffele said. "I know that sounds ridiculous, but I am really happy I can get two more rounds of golf on a really tough property to try to get myself ready for hard tournaments for the rest of the year."
This performance demonstrates why the cut line remains an important element in professional golf, creating dramatic moments and testing players' mental fortitude under pressure.