Schauffele Backs Oakmont’s Brutal U.S. Open Test, Eyes Birdies at Travelers

The U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club was a grinder, with Pennsylvania's punishing layout leaving golfers bruised and battered. Shane Lowry's frustration boiled over, cursing the course after a missed putt, and only three players finished under par in the final round. Yet, Xander Schauffele, tying for 12th at +6, called the conditions "very fair." In an exclusive chat, he told WTFNewsRoom, "Everyone had to play the same course." No excuses, just golf.

Schauffele, a two-time major champ, shrugged off the complaints about brutal bunkers and rough. "You don’t have to hit it there," he said, pointing out that fairways were an option for those who dared to be precise. A touch of rain softened the greens, making the course "more playable" in his view. J.J. Spaun seized the moment post-rain delay, sinking a 64-foot birdie to claim his first major. That’s the U.S. Open, Schauffele argued—you grind, or you go home.

Now, Schauffele’s headed to TPC River Highlands for the Travelers Championship, where scores like -22 and -23 have been the norm. It’s a stark contrast to Oakmont’s stingy setup, and he’s all for it. "A mixture of both is healthy," he said, noting that grinding at Oakmont every week would fry any golfer, just as chasing -25 for months would exhaust the mind. The Travelers, though tougher with tighter fairways and deeper rough, rewards bold shots—a perfect stage for Schauffele to ignite his "weird" season before The Open and Ryder Cup.

Still, he’s bracing for a shift. "It’ll be weird to make seven or eight birdies in a round after Oakmont," he admitted. But that’s golf—tough one week, a birdie-fest the next.