Xander Schauffele can empathize with Rory McIlroy‘s determination to withdraw from this week’s Vacationers Championship and take a while off after his collapse on the U.S. Open.
McIlroy missed two brief putts over the ultimate three holes Sunday and completed 1 stroke behind Bryson DeChambeau at Pinehurst No. 2. He rapidly left the course with out talking to reporters and introduced Monday that he is stepping away from the sport till subsequent month’s Scottish Open.
“As a competitor, all of us have had our highs and lows to a sure diploma. It is a powerful spot,” Schauffele, who received the PGA Championship in Could, stated when requested about McIlroy. “I am positive him and his staff are discussing what occurred, and typically you simply have to step away from all of it and actually attempt to be as goal as doable, since you’re very a lot within the second there and it clearly did not go his method and he is simply, , he wants a while away to determine what is going on on.”
McIlroy’s decade-long main drought will endure no less than till the Open Championship in July. He acknowledged Monday that Sunday was “in all probability the hardest” day of his skilled profession however vowed to point out resilience when he returns for the Scottish Open adopted by The Open at Royal Troon.
“It is completely different for everybody. It is arduous to for me to check my losses to his losses,” Schauffele stated. “I might say his, he is underneath a bit extra of a microscope. When issues are going rather well, persons are throughout him. And, sadly, when issues do not go your method, persons are throughout him.
“So, there is a microscope on him on why he did not win and issues of that nature. And he will must reply these questions sooner or later, and he’ll, as a result of he all the time does. So, for me, I put on ’em fairly arduous, however typically it is good to simply get again on the horse and compete.”
Schauffele tied for seventh on the U.S. Open — the seventh top-10 up to now eight begins for the world’s No. 3-ranked participant getting into the ultimate signature occasion of the 12 months.
Schauffele additionally secured one of many 4 spots on Workforce USA for the Paris Olympics, the place he’ll defend his gold medal come August.
“It is tremendous particular,” Schauffele stated. “It is all the time an honor to characterize your nation in any given event or occasion, so it was a very cool factor I used to be capable of share with my household after profitable the gold medal, and qualifying was my first objective this 12 months. It is a very arduous staff to qualify for, as you guys have seen on this U.S. facet.”
