Last Seen 20 Days Ago, Xander Schauffele’s Whereabouts Confirmed Amid Growing LIV Golf Rumors

Xander Schauffele was part of the debut match for TGL on January 7. However, post that, he was not in the field of the Sony Open, and no reason was given. While that did not raise any concern, it was the actions that preceded questions. He unexpectedly withdrew from American Express without providing a reason. The 31-year-old’s decision came after Scottie Scheffler had withdrawn from the La Quinta event.The world number one was still recovering from a hand injury he sustained on Christmas Day. Schauffele had been present in the PGA Tour season opener at The Sentry, where he finished in a tie for 30th at 17 under. As is often the case in professional golf, speculation quickly swirled about Schauffele potentially moving to LIV Golf after he confirmed his withdrawal.But turns out, the reason behind his withdrawal is finally out. Xander Schauffele has been dealing with a right rib injury since late 2024. The injury is a soft tissue injury, not a broken bone. He played through the pain at the Sentry, but at the American Express, it became unbearable.Gabby Herzig reported, “Some news on Xander Schauffele, per his team: He’s recovering from a rib cage injury. It’s on his right side, and it’s an acute intercostal strain/micro tear. Looks like it happened during a pre-season workout toward the end of the year. He was just cleared by doctors to practice again and is eager to get back to playing. @TheAthletic”.