Ten of the 12 members of the United States Ryder Cup team are attending the 2025 Procore Championship in Napa, California, seeking one last competitive practice before the significant event later this month. The two players missing are Bryson DeChambeau, who isn’t eligible to participate as he is not a PGA Tour member, and Xander Schauffele, who announced his absence on Tuesday was due to the recent birth of his son.
Schauffele’s wife, Maya, has just given birth to their son, Victor, prompting Xander to stay back in Florida with his expanding family. Meanwhile, the European team members are preparing for the Ryder Cup at the BMW PGA Championship, with Sepp Straka also absent for personal reasons related to the premature birth of his child.
Luke Donald, the European team captain, expressed that Straka’s wife had a premature delivery but reassured that things are going “extremely well” following the birth. Straka has opted to remain home for as long as possible before joining the Ryder Cup cohort; he had previously missed a FedEx Cup Playoffs event post the birth of his baby.
Schauffele’s decision to skip the Procore isn’t surprising, given he was already uncertain about participating alongside his Ryder Cup colleagues due to his upcoming fatherhood and a desire to mentally reset after a challenging 2025 season.
After celebrating two major victories in 2024, Schauffele struggled with a rib injury that sidelined him during the initial months of the 2025 season, preventing him from finding his earlier form. Although he managed to uphold his active cut streak record on the PGA Tour, his performance lacked the consistency needed for frequent competitive wins, particularly in the major tournaments.
At the BMW Championship, the last event he participated in this season, Schauffele conveyed his eagerness to take a break from golf to mentally recharge and take care of his new family obligations.
Shifting focus away from golf can often be difficult for players, but Schauffele, now being a father, might find the reset he has been seeking before returning to the sports arena at Bethpage.
