Xander Schauffele emerged as a name to watch from the first round of the 2023 U.S. Open on Thursday — even if fans don't know how to pronounce it.
Schauffele shared the lead with Rickie Fowler after 18 holes, setting a tournament record with a score of 8-under 62. With that, the pair of golfers emerged as the early favorites this week from the L.A. Country Club. Both their scores made for great water-cooler talk on Friday morning, provided you're confident enough to attempt pronouncing the Californian's name.
Schauffele, who has a German-French father and a Chinese-Japanese mother, has a name that has drawn plenty of interest — and confusion — during his time on the PGA Tour. But The Sporting News has everything you need to know about his name, including pronunciation, etymology and meaning.
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Here's a detailed guide on how to say Schauffele's name as he aims to win the 2023 U.S. Open:
How do you pronounce Xander Schauffele?
Xander Schauffele's name is pronounced "zan-der" "shao-fil-eh." For those who need to hear it pronounced to better understand how to say it, look no further than a pronunciation guide from the golfer himself:
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What does Xander Schauffele's name mean?
Both of Schauffele's names have a meaning, though they have different etymologies. His first name, "Xander," is an abbreviated form of the name "Alexander," the Latin form of the Greek name "Alexandros."
Going back further, Alexandros is taken from the Greek words alexein — "to defend" — and andros — "man" — to form a rough translation of "to defend, man." Put together, it means "defender of man."
His last name, "Schauffele," is taken from the homeland of his father, Stefan Schauffele. Per a bio from the PGA Tour, the name dates back hundreds of years through Germany, back to when people took names from their trades. As such, "Schauffele" literally translates from German as "man with a small shovel."
So, put together, "Xander Schauffele" loosely translates as "defender of man, with a small shovel."
Schauffele may have traded in the shovel for a club, but he remains a warrior on the golf course.
