Xander Schauffele sent strong message from dad over £148m LIV Golf offer

Xander Schauffele notably valued silverware over a staggering £148million enticement from LIV Golf, a decision backed by his father. Despite the lure of an enormous payday and new opportunities, his choice to forgo the breakaway tour was steered by sage advice from his father and former coach, Stefan Schauffele.

The American golfer is set to tee off at The Open Championship this week, with the aim of retaining the Claret Jug for his trophy cabinet. Schauffelewas made an offer that ranged between an approximate £111m and £148m to defect from the PGA Tour to the LIV Golf series, illustrating just how lucrative the Saudi-backed golf circuit has become.

But it wasn't purely paternal counsel that influenced the 31-year-old's decision to stay put; concerns over the restriction on world-ranking points available on the rival circuit could hinder participation in major tournaments played a part.

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The world-ranking tally was crucial for up-and-coming stars like Schauffele, who wanted to etch their names in sporting history rather than the richest athletes list.

In an unequivocal stance, Stefan made it clear that even a fortune worth double their original offer would not tempt them away from the integrity of traditional competition.

He told The Times: "They could've doubled the money and we still wouldn't do it."

That firm stance seemed to pay dividends when Schauffelesecured back-to-back majors: the PGA Championship followed byThe Open, notching almost £5m in winnings from those high-profile victories alone. His bank balance increased greatly with £2.3m from The Open win and £2.5m from his PGA Championship glory.

Schauffele and his father Stefan, who has served as his swing coach and agent, have shared the emotional highs of their incredible journey together, including Xander's gold medal win at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

Recounting the triumph, Xander said: "That was a seriously emotional moment."

The success also deeply touched Stefan, who 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.'"

With The Open Championship on the horizon, Schauffele is eyeing yet another addition to his already impressive accolades, while aiming to make his dad proud once more.

But winning won't be easy, as golf sensations like Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler are also vying for their second major win of the year, promising a riveting challenge for the Claret Jug.