Xander Schauffele won the Baycurrent Classic in Japan, his first win since raising the Claret Jug in 2024.

What happened?

Schauffele's 2025 season was initially perceived as a lost year, with no contention or memorable moments.

He started to flip the script at the Ryder Cup, where he played solid golf despite his team's loss.

Schauffele said he was able to hit some shots in high-stakes moments that gave him confidence.

Why it matters for Xander Schauffele

The win at the Baycurrent Classic marked a turning point in Schauffele's season, changing both the reality and perception of his 2025 campaign.

As the No. 4-ranked golfer in the world, Schauffele was expected to perform well, but he struggled with an intercostal strain and a small cartilage tear in his rib.

He missed the rest of January and all of February, and when he returned, he struggled to find his form.

What comes next?

Schauffele's win at the Baycurrent Classic will give him momentum going into his next tournaments.

He finished 42nd in the FedEx Cup standings and missed the Tour Championship for the first time in his career.

But with his recent win, Schauffele is looking to improve his ranking and make a strong finish to the 2025 season.

Schauffele was the only player to finish the 2024 season inside the top 25 in all four strokes-gained categories.

He entered the 2025 season with the longest made cut streak on the PGA Tour since Tiger Woods' run of 142.

The 31-year-old's game was showing off its vaulted ceilings, but he never got up to speed due to his injury.

On the PGA Tour, Schauffele added top 10s at the Scottish Open and The Open, but he was an afterthought in those tournaments.

At the Masters, Schauffele had his first top-10 finish of the season.

He was seen as a competitor capable of putting together a ferocious encore in 2025, even amid the dominating noise from world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.

Schauffele's smooth-swinging right-handed game was affected by his injury, and he struggled with inconsistencies on and off the tee.

But with his win at the Baycurrent Classic, Schauffele is back on track and looking to make a strong finish to the 2025 season.