Xander Schauffele has set a timetable for his return to the PGA Tour. The world No. 2 golfer has been out of competition due to a rib injury but told Golfweek that he plans to tee it up at the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational scheduled for March 6-9 at Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Florida.
"I need a little more TLC -- especially at 31 versus 25 -- and make sure everything is oiled correctly," Schauffele said. "I thought I'd be fine and kept going and played through it at Sentry and at the first TGL match. I was pretty much tapped. I knew it was getting significantly worse and needed time off."
Making it known that he sustained the injury -- an acute intercostal strain in his rib cage -- during the offseason, the two-time major champion attempted to play through the pain in the early stages of 2025. Schauffele initially made headlines with his injury when he withdrew from the American Express, and it became even more concerning to fans when he was not listed in the field for his hometown event, the Farmers Insurance Open.
Schauffele then skipped scheduled tournament stops at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational, which took place in his native San Diego due to the Los Angeles wildfires. While he wanted to tee it up at Torrey Pines, Schauffele thought better of it.
"With really thick rough, I could potentially reinjure myself," Schauffele said. "Everyone I've talked to said the worst thing you can do is come back too soon. Guys have told me about being hurt 6-12 weeks later. I don't want to deal with a stop and go. Once I'm back, I just want to go. I've been instructed to be patient and make sure I'm 100%."
Schauffele's intended return date will give him a runway -- albeit a short one -- into the first major championship of the season. Playing the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship the following week, Schauffele could add another start before the Masters if his body is up to the task. Schauffele did play in the Valspar Championship last season in what was his final tournament before teeing it up at Augusta National.
"Taking the Genesis off gives me three weeks leading into Bay Hill," Schauffele said. "I want to get as many reps under the belt before the Masters. It would be nice to get the competitive blood flowing a few times before going into a really big event and also have The Players coming up."
