Xander Schauffele Started His Third Round of U.S. Open With a Disastrous Bunker Meltdown

Schauffele got stuck in one of LACC’s signature bunkers during his opening hole on Saturday.

A fairway bunker at Los Angeles Country Club gave Xander Schauffele some tremendous issues on the opening hole of his Saturday round at the U.S. Open. 

Schauffele started his third round at LACC at 8 under for the championship, just two shots behind the solo leader Rickie Fowler at 10 under. But a significant pull with his driver on No. 1 put the Southern Californian in a precarious position for his second shot on the 594-yard par-5. 

Schauffele, attempting to lay-up from the fescue-lined bunker, was taken aback when his ball caught the top lip and ricocheted behind him and to the left, leaving yet another difficult shot from the sand. 

Again, simply trying to put the ball back in play, Schauffele made the same mistake for the second time. His ball kicked off the lip of the bunker with significant force, almost running into his own right foot. 

In typical U.S. Open fashion, the series of shots was both brutal to watch but also hilariously relatable. 

A tough start for Xander at No. 1. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/miLfNPydiQ

— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 17, 2023

The daunting bunkers at LACC define the teeth of the iconic George Thomas design, and Schauffele’s first hole struggles demonstrated that perfectly. 

Despite leaving consecutive shots in the bunker, Schauffele managed to save bogey after wedging it onto the green and making a slippery right-to-left putt. 

Schauffele, along with Rickie Fowler, posted an 8-under 62 on Thursday to set the U.S. Open scoring record. He is vying for his first major title this week.