XANDER SCHAUFFELE was illegally allowed to try drugs, drink alcohol and smoke cigars as a child – by his own dad.
Fast forward 16 years and the pair drank booze out of the Claret Jug after his Open glory.
Schauffele, 31, won The Open at Royal Troon 12 months ago – nine weeks after his maiden Major win at the PGA Championship – and arrives at Portrush as the defending champion.
And as well as necking red wine and “clear liquors” from golf’s famous trophy a year ago, he admitted in his champion’s press conference: “I hate to say it, but I’ve had wine, of course, and then I’ve had tequila out of it, as well.”
Schauffele, though, has been consuming alcohol with his old man Stefan since his early teens.
His old man would even give French cognac and Cuban cigars to Xander and his childhood friends when they visited their San Diego home in the mid-noughties.
Speaking to The Times, Stefan, 61, said: “In America, the drinking age is 21 but you’re allowed to be killed for your country at 18. This is bulls***.
“I told my boys [Xander and his older brother Nico]: I will teach you everything I know and cram in as many life experiences as I can until you’re 16, then you’re an adult in my mind.
“That included sexual experiences, even drugs. Someone was selling marijuana and cocaine at the middle school when Xander was 14, so you need to confront this.
“I said, ‘I don’t mind if you try, you just need to be aware it can f*** you up.’
“There were a lot of green faces with the cigars, some accidents with the alcohol, but they all learnt very quickly.
“Was it illegal? Yes. Can they put me in jail for it now? I don’t think so.”
Reflecting back on that upbringing, American Schauffele Jr added: “He wanted to show me what’s on the other side if you are successful.
“But maybe he just wanted a buddy to drink and smoke with.”
Around the same age, Stefan challenged Xander to a full-on wrestling fight in the bathroom which ended up with a broken towel rail and the youngster in the bath.
Xander added: “Let’s just say I didn’t win the fight.”
Stefan’s parenting techniques have certainly raised question marks.
But his determination for his son to succeed as a sporting professional is undeniable.
And it is personal for Stefan, too.
His own grandfather, Xander’s great-grandfather, Richard was a 6ft 8ins “monster” who played as a striker for Stuttgart before turning to athletics.
He qualified for the Olympics discus event and was tipped for gold but injured his shoulder and would never reach the same heights again.
HORROR CRASH
Stuttgart-born Stefan inherited the sporting genes, initially in the long jump and javelin throw before joining the German national decathlon team.
However, like his grandad, his career was cruelly ripped away from him when his car was hit head-on by a drink-driver in 1986.
After six eye surgeries and two years in and out of hospital, he used the compensation payment to buy a one-way ticket to California, where he met Ping-Yi Chen, Xander’s mother.
The couple’s first child tragically died of sudden infant death syndrome and they spent two years living in Tokyo, where Stefan discovered golf, a sport he found “boring” but one he could play with his limited eyesight.
So when Xander showed an interest in wanting to make a life out of the sport, Stefan was fully on board, regularly handing in sick notes at Xander’s school to take him to the driving range.
Now Schauffele has had three crowning moments in his illustrious career – and each one has a significant link to dad Stefan.
The first was winning Olympic gold at the delayed Tokyo 2020 games four years ago.
Xander gave Stefan – still coaching and representing him at the time – his precious medal.
Xander said: “That was a seriously emotional moment.”
Stefan added: “You’re going to make me cry just thinking about it.
“He understood how huge the Olympics was for me. We got in the car and he gave me the medal and said, ‘This is for you.’”
I got some heckles for it but it’s all good fun… it’s a trophy that car
Xander Schauffele
Then came the PGA Championship win at Valhalla in May 2024 as Schauffele ditched his nearly-man tag by pipping Bryson DeChambeau by one shot.
However, Stefan was not there to see his son become a Major champion.
That is because he lives in a 20ft shipping container in the remote Hawaiian island of Kauai where he clears areas of jungle with a chainsaw.
The mobile home – Stefan had been a “complete hermit” before being forced to buy the semi-permanent pad – has no electricity or hot water.
But he managed to find some electricity to watch the final seven holes of Xander’s fourth round at the PGA.
Then two months later, Stefan watched his son crowned Champion Golfer of the Year with his victory at Royal Troon.
But despite career earnings about to reach £45million – he is 15th in the all-time PGA list – Xander has not lost touch with his humble roots, by still driving his 2015 Toyota Camry, a nod to his rental motor he would drive to qualifying rounds of tournaments ranked way down at No1,734 in the world.
Schauffele – who turned down an offer worth a reported £150m from LIV Golf in 2022 – revealed: “I drove it to Torrey Pines this year.
“I got some heckles for it but it’s all good fun.
“It’s a trophy that car. Those moments of despair are very important.”
Come Sunday, Xander and Stefan will be hoping to keep hold of the other trophy for another year, too.
