Xander Schauffele had his father on hand to celebrate with him when Team USA won the 2021 Ryder Cup, but if the Americans regain the Cup at Bethpage Black this fall, Stefan Schauffele will be (maybe) watching from afar.
The star player’s father certainly won’t be on the grounds in Long Island.
Stefan Schauffele, for better or worse, has become one of the best-known PGA Tour parents since maybe Earl Woods. That’s certainly an unusual and very specific distinction to have. But the elder Schauffele is a character, and one helluva quote.
Stefan Schauffele Rips Ryder Cup for Behavior On and Off the Course
Just ask Tom Kershaw, writer for The Times of London. As Xander gets ready to defend his title at the 2025 Open Championship, his father was an open book in a recent interview with Kershaw. The result is a must-read story with plenty of eye-popping quotes, but Stefan Schauffele’s views on the Ryder Cup certainly stand out, especially given his son’s standing as a Team USA fixture.
Stefan told Kershaw he won’t be making his way to the East Coast for the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York. Xander’s old man thinks the sideshow aspect of the international event has gotten too carried away, and that’s unlikely to get any better this year in front of a rowdy Tri-State crowd.
“Do I miss the PGA Tour? No. I’m not going to the Ryder Cup, either. I’m afraid of what’s going to happen in New York,” Stefan Schauffele told Kershaw. “I was there at (Whistling Straits in 2021) when they called Shane Lowry’s wife a (expletive) in front of him. I couldn’t believe my ears.”
The off-course drama became on-course theatrics in 2023. The Europeans won back the Cup with an emotionally charged event in Rome that was highlighted (or lowlighted) by Patrick Cantlay’s hatgate and the ensuing actions of Rory McIlroy among others.
“I saw what happened in Rome. That was utterly disgusting claiming this money bull (expletive) and Rory behaved disgustingly in my opinion. It’s only going to get worse. It’s ruined my appetite for the Ryder Cup. It becomes unwatchable.”
Then again, the story begins with anecdote about how Stefan didn’t want to leave his home in Hawaii to travel halfway across the world to Royal Troon for the 2024 Open Championship. It turned out to be a good move, of course, as he got a front-row seat to see his son win the second major of his career and the season.
More Tension Between Schauffele Family, Team USA
It’s also worth noting Stefan’s disdain for the Ryder Cup and more specifically the PGA of America is nothing new. Speaking to Kershaw back in 2023, he said his son almost didn’t even play in Rome due to a contract dispute. He accused the organization of “strong-arming” his son over some off-course obligations.
Interestingly enough, Xander has also been vocal about various off-course events that come with playing in the Ryder Cup. He entered the 2025 British Open second in points for Team USA, so he’ll be on the team despite an uneven season. He’s publicly lobbied captain Keegan Bradley to help players limit those sorts of off-course duties in the week leading up to the actual event.
It doesn’t seem as if Xander will be boycotting the event anytime soon, but clearly the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree in this case.
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