(Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

Xander Schauffele was playing the best golf of his life at this time last year, two months after his major breakthrough at the PGA Championship and one week before capturing The Open Championship.

Back in the United Kingdom for this week's Genesis Scottish Open, the World No. 3 has battled through a rib injury this year and has not finished atop the leaderboard since lifting the Claret Jug at Royal Troon.

Schauffele has not played since tying for 61st at the Travelers Championship three weeks ago. His best finish in 2025 was a T8 at The Masters, and in the other majors, he finished T28 at the PGA Championship and T12 at the U.S. Open.

'I was really beating up on myself for quite some time to try to get myself to play like I did last year and things of that nature, which isn't really how you're supposed to do it,' Schauffele told reporters Tuesday at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland.

Schauffele won the Scottish Open in 2022 and tied for 15th last year at the 7,237-yard, par-70 course, where the final tune-up for The Open Championship begins Thursday.

Schauffele, 31, said that there's something about returning to playing a links-style course this week that puts him in a good head space.

'There's some version of, I wish I could have come over here and played earlier in the year to be honest, just from a mental standpoint,' he said. 'Something about playing over here relaxes me a little bit.

'... Something about being here, you start taking your hands off the wheel -- and that's how I played my best.'

Schauffele touched on a variety of subjects, including this September's Ryder Cup showdown and the possibility of U.S. captain Keegan Bradley playing with the team.

'Clearly he's earning it,' Schauffele said. 'If you ask him, he's playing the best golf of his career. We just want our best 12 playing. I think that's sort of what it really comes down to. So he is just flying up the qualifying, that standings leaderboard. Would I be surprised if he got into the top six and it wasn't even a conversation anymore? I don't think I'd be very surprised and I don't think he would, either.'

Schauffele drew laughter a couple of times during Tuesday's Q&A session, including when he was asked how his life had changed as an Open champion.

'I drank a little bit more than I normally do,' he said.

Schauffele also remarked on seeing his photograph as a past champion hanging near the bathrooms.

'It was nice to see my photo out by the toilet. That was heartwarming. Summed up how I feel about what's going on right now,' he said. 'I actually chuckled when I saw that one.'

--Field Level Media