It all finally came together for Xander Schauffele at the PGA Championship in May, when he won his first career major championship after 12 top-10 finishes. Can he do it again?
Schauffele surged to the top of what had been a crowded Open Championship leaderboard on Sunday, taking the lead with five holes remaining to position himself for a potential second major win of 2024.
As long as Schauffele stays in the thick of the race for the Claret Jug, all eyes will be on him — and his sponsor.
Here's what you need to know about the logo on Schauffele's shirt as he competes for his second major championship.
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Xander Schauffele clothing sponsor, explained
While Schauffele formerly had a deal with Adidas, he's sporting a new logo on his shirt in 2024 — that of sportswear company Descente.
Descente agreed to a deal with a sponsorship Schauffele in January, when the golfer and the brand announced the "multi-year partnership" in a statement.
"Schauffele will collaborate with Descente on golf product development and appeal to customers and fans on a global scale by heading up promotional activities to enhance the value of the Descente brand and strengthen its golf category lineup in Japan, Korea, and China," the statement read.
Schauffele praised Descente's "rich history of developing performance and training apparel for a variety of outdoor sports, including golf."
Descente launched in 1935 as a Japanese-based skiwear company. Skiing remains the basis of the brand's operations, but Descente has expanded to create gear for other outdoor sports including cycling, rowing and baseball.
By sponsoring Schauffele, who ranks No. 3 in the world, Descente is taking a major step toward reaching a new audience and perhaps setting the stage for more golf-centric gear from the company.
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What is the logo on Xander Schauffele's shirt?
Schauffele has a few logos on his gear this year, as he continues to wear Adidas shoes and has a Callaway hat, but the logo on his shirt represents Descente.
The logo features three arrows, one of which is pointing straight down and two of which point down and outward. The arrows represent three skiing techniques: schuss, side-slip and traverse.
Xander Schauffele new hat: @CallawayGolf Chrome Tour (previous equipment sponsor)
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) January 4, 2024
New apparel: Descente pic.twitter.com/Ol6Lhbt5rk
Despite Descente's skiwear roots, the company appears to be trying to reach a much different audience with its sponsorship of Schauffele. The brand's statement when the deal was struck indicates golf is a priority as the company grows, and Schauffele certainly seems to be a strong choice for Descente to sponsor as he aims for a rare second major win of the year.
Even if Schauffele doesn't win at Royal Troon, simply remaining in contention has put eyes on him — and the Descente logo.
