“I don’t give a s***” – Xander Schauffele shows the world he has found voice with Olympic double in sights that might change his view on gold medal

Xander Schauffele is doing a good job of rivalling Scottie Scheffler for the number one male golfer on the planet.

The American is defending the Olympic gold medal he won in Tokyo at Le Golf National and sits in a three-way tie for the lead at 11-under-par with the final two rounds to come on Saturday and Sunday.

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Schauffele has won two of the last three majors having claimed the PGA Championship and The Open already in 2024 to break his duck on the biggest stage.

His Olympic gold medal might well be seen on a par with his majors given the field assembled – and should he defend it, he will find himself in some very rare sporting company.

The Californian said as much in his pre tournament press conference, admitting that it might be in later years that the reality of his Olympic achievement really hits home.

“Golf was in the Olympics and then it was out of the Olympics. So, I think a lot of the kids were watching Tiger, or if you’re a little bit older, you’re watching Jack or Arnie, the older legends of the game. You’re watching them win majors.

“For me it’s very personal, my relationship with my dad, the relationship my dad and I have with golf, a lot of is sort of surrounding his teachings of when he was trying to be an Olympian.

“Then the majors are sort of what I grew up watching. They are two very different things to me. I think the gold medal, it’s been marinating nicely.

“Maybe in 30, 40 years, it’s something that’s really going to be special as it gets more traction and it kind of gets back into the eyes or into the normalcy of being in the Olympics.”

Schauffele shot a superb round of 66 to follow his opening 65 to sit at the head of the field.

Joining him on -11 are Great Britain’s Tommy Fleetwod and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, while Spain’s former Masters champion Jon Rahm leads the chasing pack ahead of what promises to be a dramatic weekend.

Schauffele’s confidence appears to have gone to another level since his major breakthrough at the PGA Championship, and he has not been afraid to make his feelings clear.

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The world no.2 was a guest on the Pardon My Take podcast, where the hosts were not shy in some playful mocking Schauffele’s style on the golf course.

In one withering putdown, the 30-year-old made his feelings quite clear on what he looks like when he is out on the course

“I don’t give a sh*t what I look like quite honestly,” he laughed.

“I don’t have to look at me when I’m playing. I do have to look at my shoes. I do feel good so, as long as I feel good, and the shoes are shoes.

“I wore those black shoes at the fricking PGA and won with them.”

Before his breakthrough at the PGA Championship this year, Schauffele had 12 top ten finishes in his 27 major appearances with many questioning whether he could get over the line.

He was also without a title of any description on the PGA Tour or DP World Tour since 2022.

However a one stroke victory over Bryson De Chambeau at Valhalla proved to be a breakthrough moment.

Another top 10 finish followed in June at the US Open – where DeChambeau had his revenge – before his classy display at Royal Troon gave him a first Claret Jug and second major title.

Schauffele will play in the final group in Saturday’s third round, alongside Fleetwood and Matsuyama and could be just 36 holes from more immortality if he is able to defend the gold medal