PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland -- Xander Schauffele was unhappy with the R&A over a driver-testing operation in advance of The Open that did not include all players but found his club to be nonconforming.
The American, who finished second earlier this year at the Masters and was in contention at last year's Open at Carnoustie, said he had a 'bit of a run-in' with the R&A over the matter.
Late in his first round of the Farmers Insurance Open, Xander Schauffele had just worked it to two under on his round with a birdie at the North Course’s par-4 sixth (his 15th).
'They only test 30 players,' Schauffele, who is at 4-under 138, said after the second round at Royal Portrush. 'I thought it was a little bit unfair. I would gladly give up my driver if it's not conforming. But there's still 130 other players in the field that potentially have a nonconforming driver as well. Had words with them, and hopefully they take my comments seriously and my concern.
'It wasn't my plan to show up Tuesday morning of a major and doing driver testing here. It's not really what I want to be doing.'
Drivers are tested for 'spring-like effect' and cannot surpass a limit of 'coefficient of restitution' or COR.
Drivers Xander Pack
- Following Xander Schauffele’s incredible win at the 2019 Sentry Tournament of Champions - where he shot a Sunday 62 - I caught up with his Callaway TOUR rep Johnny Thompson to talk about his.
- A little over a week after Xander Schauffele's driver was deemed illegal for use by the R&A prior to the Open Championship, Callaway Golf president and CEO Chip Brewer came to the defense of his.
Schauffele, who plays with Callaway equipment, had no issue with the R&A deeming his club nonconforming. His issue was simply that not all are tested. Tiger Woods is among the players whose driver was tested this week, and he said on Tuesday that his passed.
The R&A does not say how close the club was to passing, just whether it passed or failed.
'We randomly selected 30 players for driver testing as we did at last year's championship and we can confirm the statement that Xander's driver failed,' the R&A said in a statement. 'We have worked with Xander and his manufacturer to ensure that he has a number of conforming drivers he can use this week.'
That the results became public is also something that Schauffele took issue with.
'They pissed me off because they attempted to ruin my image by not keeping this matter private,' Schauffele said after his third-round 69 on Saturday.
'It's an unsettling topic. I've been called a cheater by my fellow opponents. It's all joking, but when someone yells 'cheater' in front of 200 people, to me, it's not going to go down very well. ... It was just handled unprofessionally.'
Drivers Xander Cage
Schauffele said he was struggling to find the right one.
Drivers Xander James
'I was doing driver testing up until Wednesday,' Schauffele said. 'And then [Thursday] it wasn't really matching my bag, which was a bummer. I was getting a little upset on the golf course. And [Friday] I was testing a little bit on the range again with two different heads. But moved a few weights around and sort of found a good setting, I guess.'