Xander Schauffele Addresses His Father's ‘Skewed’ Comments on Ryder Cup Pay-For-Play Issues

In his Zozo Championship press conference Schauffele defended his father’s prior statements on player compensation at the Ryder Cup.

Xander Schauffele is teeing it up in Japan for this week’s Zozo Championship, but much of what he was asked about during his pre-tournament press conference involved the events that unfolded last month in Rome. On Wednesday, Schauffele addressed some widely circulated comments made by his father, Stefan—who doubles as Schauffele’s manager and swing coach—about player compensation at the Ryder Cup. 

Last month the older Schauffele told The Times of London that the PGA of America was on the verge of dropping Schauffele from the U.S. team because he refused to sign the player participation and benefit agreement. The issues were ultimately cleared up before the team match-play event at Marco Simone, but the themes of contracts and player compensation eventually seeped into the competition through Patrick Cantlay’s “HatGate” controversy, prompting Stefan to make the public aware of pre-tournament conflict. 

Speaking to several reporters, the elder Schauffele insinuated that if the PGA of America profits from the Ryder Cup, the players should have that ability as well. He called for overall “transparency” from the organization.

“If the PGA of America is a for-profit organization, they need to have the players share in that profit,” he told Dylan Dethier of Golf.com. “Instead of being so damned intransparent about it, they should reveal the numbers. And then we should go to the table and talk.”

He also added that players would “happily” play for free if all of the proceeds of the biennial competition were donated to charity. 

On Wednesday at the Zozo Championship, Schauffele defended his father’s comments on player compensation at the Ryder Cup :: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

In Japan, Schauffele admitted that he wasn’t thrilled to hear that his father spoke about the controversial subject with the media, but ultimately defended the comments. 

“If you look at what he said, I wasn’t super fired up that he was speaking to media just because I know how things get twisted. I had to look back at what he said specifically and he specifically said that if the tournament’s for-profit, then players should get paid,” Schauffele said. “He also said that if it’s charitable—it should be a charitable event most likely and that everything should get donated.”

Schauffele went on to explain why he thought his father’s words were “skewed” in the media. 

“When I look back on what he said, I think the headlines sort of skewed obviously what he was trying to say, but I don’t think he ever really spoke directly to [players getting paid]. He just said it should be either or, not really as confusing as it is.” 

Schauffele will tee off in the first round of the Zozo Championship at 8:29 p.m. ET Wednesday alongside Taylor Moore and Kurt Kitayama.