“He’s Pretty Old”: Xander Schauffele Ignores Tiger Woods’ Florida Move, but Gets Inspired by the ‘West Coast Kid’

If there’s one thing Tiger Woods has been throughout his career, it’s being immutable. The golfer has been extremely successful in his professional life, all thanks to his unchanging love for golf. Along with this, there’s yet another thing that hasn’t changed in the 48-year-old’s life since 1996: his connection with Jupiter, Florida. However, when it comes to sunny Florida, the same can’t be said about Xander Schauffele.

After he “took the plunge [in 2023] along with half the Tour” and moved to Florida, it has been taking time to warm up to the place. However, having followed Tiger Woods and many other professional golfers to the East Coast, Xander Schauffele is intent on following the example of the Hall of Famer when it comes to his game. In an episode of the Fore Play podcast, the host mentioned how shifting to Florida helped Woods’ short game because of all the chipping off Bermuda grass. It was then that Schauffele shed light on a similarity between them.

“Yeah, he’s a West Coast kid, too. He was when he was growing up. He’s been in Florida for a while now, but he’s pretty old,” the 30-year-old joked. Nevertheless, the athlete was more absorbed in the legend’s gameplay than his shifting states. While the 48-year-old’s love for Florida isn’t something Schauffele resonates with, he did reveal how “cool” it is to see the 15-time Major winner all the time. “I see Tiger all the time, and it’s cool to see him swinging, getting ready for tournaments.” Besides, Schauffele highlighted how he is following Mr. T’s example and has been “learning” to chip off the grain like the legend.

Tiger Woods may have online video masterclasses on chipping, wedges, and everything in between. But there’s nothing like learning while observing someone live. “Chipping off grain is something else I’m still learning. I’ve only been there for a couple months,” Schauffele added. But what did the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open winner have to say about Florida? The pro has somewhat of a mixed review of Florida. “I like seeing these mountains in the morning. In Jupiter, it’s just like you have no mountains. You stand on a 10-foot mound, and that’s the highest peak in Florida. So, that part sucks.”