One of the first times Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay spent quality time together was over an intense game of gin rummy en route to 2019. Presidents’ Cup in Australia. The U.S. team’s 26-hour charter from the Bahamas to Melbourne gave Presidents Cup rookies plenty of time to bond, and Schauffele and Cantlay did—more than series, races and dollar exchanges. The spark between the two players did not escape the vice-captain of the US team Couples Fred.
In Schauffele and Cantlay, the Couples saw more than just budding friends—they saw a growing partnership.
“Freddy (was) like, ‘Hey, I think these two guys are going to be amazing together,'” Schauffele said Wednesday. this the Presidents’ Cup of the year Medinah Country Club out of Chicago. “The way they play, they almost turn into one person when they play an alternate shot, which is all you can ask for. And then just the way we interact. Holding each other responsible, but knowing that each of us does our hardest in every shot. You just have to have the other. Freddy sort of orchestrated this, and he was right.”
Schauffele and Cantlay played four games together that week in Melbourne, winning two and losing two. Two years later, at the Ryder Cup at Loud whistlesSchauffele and Cantlay teamed up twice more and went 2-0, including a 5-and-3 foursomes beatdown of Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter. In all, the duo has combined in nine Presidents Cup matches (going 4-1 in foursomes, and 1-3 in fourballs) and six Ryder Cup matches (3-3 in foursomes). Combined, that’s 7-4 in foursomes, 1-3 in fourball and 8-7 overall.
“Freddy Couples is actually the one who made this happen,” Schauffele said. “I don’t know if anyone has ever really said that. Yes, the PC and we both love Fred.”
Cantlay, who has long known couples from the Newport Beach, Calif., golf scene, confirmed Schauffele’s account Wednesday, adding that after he and Cantlay’s four-match run in Melbourne, they became “fast friends.”
None of this is to say that Schauffele and Cantlay have been invincible together. Far from it, as their barely better than .500 record illustrates. Fourball has been particularly unsuccessful for them, but Schauffele said that’s more a reflection of having limited reps in that format than an inability to gel. Asked about his underwhelming fourball record, Schauffele cited his partnership in the 2022 Zurich Classic, where he and Cantlay opened with a fourball 59; Schauffele made six birdies that day and Cantlay added five more plus an eagle. “If we played 100 rounds of fourball, who knows what our record would be?” Schauffele said.
Schauffele noted that when the team’s analytics weigh optimal pairings, SG:Kinship only goes so far, especially when it comes to fourball, in which each player plays their own ball. “Even though we’re friends, there are better matchups to complement the holes we have in our games,” he said.
In fact, at the 2024 Presidents’ Cup, Schauffele won twice with Tony controversy in fourball play, and Cantlay did the same with Sam Burns. In Thursday’s opening fourball match at Medinah, Schauffele is paired with Cameron Young, and Cantlay with Chris Gotterup.
“I think there’s a lot of guys that mesh well together,” Cantlay said Wednesday. “The captains look at statistics, among other factors, so I think we’re a good alt-shot team and we’ve had our successes, so it’s always comfortable to have that pairing. I don’t think I’ve played alt-shot in one of these events with anyone else.”
The most memorable of those foursomes matches came two years ago in Montreal, where Cantlay and Schauffele traded blows with Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim. Due to a weather delay earlier in the day, the game stretched into near darkness, with a fleet of golf carts lighting up the 18th green. When Cantlay hit a 17-footer for the win, Schauffele had a feeling for what was coming next.
“I always tell the PC if it gets dark at home and we end up somewhere close to dark, the game is off,” Schauffele said Wednesday. “I don’t like playing Pat when it gets dark. He has a knack for making these putts in the dark in these team events.”
Cantlay holed the putt to extend the U.S. lead to 11-7. His teammates cheered and never looked back, winning Sunday, 18.5-11.5.
Somewhere, Fred Couples was smiling.