Since his legendary career on the basketball court, Michael Jordan has been taking names on the golf course, including those on the PGA Tour. Earlier this year, Xander Schauffele became the latest victim of Jordan’s antics, admitting that he was humiliated by the 61-year-old after he tried to “s**t-talk” him.
The six-time NBA champion etched his name in sporting history with the Chicago Bulls and has transferred his winning mentality onto the fairway.
And even the 2024 PGA and The Open champion felt the wrath of Jordan’s greatness after growing complacent during their round.
In a conversation with Colt Knost in June, the CBS Sports golf analyst said that it was “really hard to s**t-talk” Jordan after Schauffele revealed he had played with him.
The world No. 2 agreed before admitting that he tasted defeat after his attempts to get under Jordan’s skin backfired.
“I did my best version of it and then he beat me straight up, which is embarrassing,” Schauffele disclosed while on the range.
After Knost reacted in disbelief, he added: “In the last three holes, yeah. I pancaked him, and on his stroke holes, I started talking s**t to him.
“He got all quiet, focused and then birdied like 15-16, no strokes. I was like, ‘alright.'”
Schauffele isn’t the only professional golfer to have experienced the same embarrassment against Jordan. In 2020, Brooks Koepka shared his story.
The five-time major winner was one-up on the Hall of Famer heading into the final two holes, both of which he ended up losing after teasing his opponent.
“It might have been the second time I’ve ever played with him. It was me, him… there was a few other guys,” Koepka recalled during an appearance on SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt.
“Whatever it was, I was one-up going into 17. We had been jawing all day, and we had like a 40-yard walk back to the 17th tee.
“He hasn’t said much the last couple of holes. I’ve kind of taken them.
“And I’m walking back, and I just said something like, ‘I’ve got you right where I want you,’ and he just tees the ball up, he takes his practice swing.
“He looks at me and goes, ‘it’s the fourth quarter baby, I don’t lose.’ And sure enough, I lost 17, and I lost 18. So that’s probably the last time I’ve ever smack talked him.”
