Mullinax in contention at Colonial after ‘freak accident’

ERIN, Wis. – Xander Schauffele’s name may be featured prominently on the large white leaderboards at Erin Hills, but that doesn’t mean everyone on the property recognizes the PGA TOUR rookie who’s contending at the U.S. Open. “I’ll sign some autographs and kids will be like, ‘Dad, who is that?’â€� Schauffele said. “That’s just how it is. … Schauffele is a pretty weird name to remember.â€� More people are becoming familiar with the German surname that translate to “tiny shovel,â€� a testament to his family’s centuries-long lineage in the construction business. Schauffele held the lead for parts of Friday morning before finishing at 5-under 139 (66-73). Erin Hills’ wide, fescue-lined fairways and bent-grass greens remind the 23-year-old of one of his home courses in college, Barona Creek, where he won a tournament during his senior year. And the same strong ballstriking and mental fortitude that has helped him make a quick progression through pro golf’s meritocracy is paying off in this notoriously tough tournament. “That’s been engraved in him forever, to be tough,â€� said his caddie and former college teammate, Austin Kaiser. “His attitude is huge. … He doesn’t want it to be sugar-coated.â€� His father, Stefan, has tried to imbue such fortitude in his son from a young age. Stefan, whose German roots give him a strong preference for honesty over flattery, is his son’s only swing coach. Now he’s watching the fruits of their labor in this major championship that always concludes on Father’s Day. Stefan started his son in the game at age 9, when he was strong enough to carry his junior bag for 18 holes. Xander wasn’t allowed to use tees in those early junior tournaments on par-3 courses, knowing that the temporary disadvantage would pay off later. It has this week, at the tournament that puts such a heavy emphasis on accurate ballstriking. We may have seen a record number of sub-par scores in the first round, but this U.S. Open is not a warm and cuddly championship. The struggles of several of the game’s stars show that Erin Hills is no pushover for those who are errant off the tee. Schauffele has averaged 314.8 yards off the tee this week, while hitting 11 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens in each of the first two rounds. He’s learned how to handle pressure from his father, who passed along the breathing and concentration techniques he learned from his own athletic days. Stefan played semipro soccer in Germany and was en route to a training session for Germany’s national decathlon team when he was hit head-on by a drunk driver. He was in and out of the hospital for two years because of multiple surgeries on his left eye, which he lost sight in. The accident convinced him to take a risk and move to the United States when he was 23. He landed in San Diego and lived next to a golf course. With his physical activity limited because of the accident, he decided to take up the game. His first instructor, A.J. Bonar, related the golf swing to the sports like discus that Stefan was familiar with. He was scratch within two years. Xander has had a rapid rise in pro golf. He aced the grueling examinations that young pros face, Q-School and the Web.com Tour Finals, on his first try. After turning pro in 2015, the San Diego State alum needed just one season on the Web.com Tour to earn his card. Now Schauffele, who ranks 135th in the FedExCup, is playing well in his first major championship. “He just keeps improving every year,â€� said Ryan Ressa, who recruited him to Long Beach State, where Schauffele played his freshman season before transferring to San Diego State. “He always seemed to have a knack for (playing well) when he needed to.â€� For proof, Ressa refers to a 2-under round during a windy final day at the 2015 Web.com Tour Q-School that allowed Schauffele to earn his card on the number. Then he finished T9 in the final tournament of last year’s Web.com Tour season to earn his TOUR card for this season. And now he’s excelling in his first U.S. Open.

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Five of the top-10 players in the world are scheduled to tee it up at the Valspar Championship, led by second-ranked Collin Morikawa. World No. 3 Viktor Hovland is looking to build off a tie for third last season, while Sam Burns – now ranked 17th in the world – is hoping to defend his maiden PGA TOUR title. FIELD NOTES: Morikawa, who already has five TOUR titles to his name, is set to make his Valspar Championship debut… Xander Schauffele and a pair of former FedExCup champions, Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson, are the other top-10 golfers in the world scheduled to take on Innisbrook… Twenty of the world’s top-50 will be in the field… Jackson Suber, a star at the University of Mississippi and the 11th-ranked player in the PGA TOUR University Ranking presented by Velocity Global, is amongst the sponsor exemptions. Suber is from nearby Tampa, Florida… Jason Day, just two weeks removed from losing his mother to cancer, will tee it up. He returned to action at THE PLAYERS Championship… Abraham Ancer, who finished fifth in 2021, is set to return along with fellow International Presidents Cup hopeful Joaquin Niemann… Brooks Koepka is looking for his first win on TOUR since the WM Phoenix Open in 2021… Ryan Brehm, who won the Puerto Rico Open in the last start of a medical exemption, will be in the field after making his PLAYERS debut… Alex Fitzpatrick (brother of Matt Fitzpatrick, ranked 25th in the world) who is a celebrated golfer in his own right at Wake Forest also earned a sponsor exemption for winning the Valspar Intercollegiate. Alex is No. 5 in the PGA TOUR University Ranking presented by Velocity Global and a former member of Great Britain & Ireland’s Walker Cup team. Tommy Fleetwood, Martin Kaymer, and Bernd Wiesberger also were given sponsor exemptions… Sam Burns, Paul Casey, who won the Valspar in both 2018 and 2019, along with Adam Hadwin (2017), Charl Schwartzel (2016), Kevin Streelman (2013), and Luke Donald (2012) are some of the recent Valspar champions set to return. FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 FedExCup points. COURSE: Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead), par 71, 7,340 yards. The Copperhead Course – the second course built at Innisbrook – has long been considered a favorite by those on TOUR. Located just north of Tampa, this Larry Packard design is tree-lined and puts a premium on positioning off the tee. Sam Burns, the winner in 2021, had as complete an effort tee-to-green has anyone, which resulted in him finding the winner’s circle. Burns was fifth in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and third in Strokes Gained: Putting a year ago. The course, opened in the early 1970s, features a tough three-hole closing stretch called the ‘Snake Pit’ – two tough par-4s sandwiched between a bruising 200-yard par 3. STORYLINES: With several delays at THE PLAYERS Championship, it will be worth keeping an eye on the field leading into Thursday’s start at Innisbrook… Paul Casey was the first back-to-back winner in tournament history in 2018 and 2019… The tournament was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but will welcome back spectators at 100% capacity for the first time since 2019… The Valspar Championship puts a bow on the TOUR’s Florida Swing. 72-HOLE RECORD: 266, Vijay Singh (2004). 18-HOLE RECORD: 61, Padraig Harrington (1st round, 2012). LAST TIME: Sam Burns won for the first time on the PGA TOUR as the Valspar Championship returned to the TOUR’s schedule after being cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Burns, whose second-round 63 was tied for the low round of the week, won by three shots over Keegan Bradley. Burns had twice held 54-hole leads earlier in the season but was unable to convert both times. Bradley, meanwhile, was tied for the lead with six holes remaining in the final round but found the water with his tee shot on the par-3 13th, leading to double bogey. Bradley added another bogey on the par-3 15th and couldn’t mount a comeback. Despite a bogey on the 72nd hole, Burns’ 3-under 68 was more than enough to help him find the winner’s circle. Viktor Hovland’s 6-under 65 on Sunday was the round of the day, and that moved him into a tie for third with Cameron Triangle. Last year marked Hovland’s debut in Tampa. Abraham Ancer finished fifth alone, five shots back of Burns’ winning total. HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Thursday-Friday, 2 p.m.-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (NBC). Radio: Thursday-Friday, 12–6 p.m. ET. Saturday-Sunday, 1–6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio) For outside of the U.S., click here for GOLFTV powered by the PGA TOUR PGA TOUR LIVE PGA TOUR Live is available exclusively on ESPN+ • Main Feed: primary tournament-coverage featuring the best action from across the course • Marquee Group: new “marquee group” showcasing every shot from each player in the group • Featured Groups: traditional PGA TOUR LIVE coverage of two concurrent featured groups • Featured Holes: a combination of par-3s and iconic or pivotal holes

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Graeme McDowell won his first PGA Tour title since 2015 in capturing the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship on Sunday.

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