It’s not every day you hear a caddie get emotional about their player’s success, but Austin Kaiser, Xander Schauffele’s longtime friend and caddie, didn’t hold back during his recent appearance on Gravy & the Sleaze. Reflecting on Schauffele’s incredible 2024 season, Kaiser opened up about what it was like to see his guy snag two major wins—a reality he said he wouldn’t have believed not too long ago. 

“If you would’ve told me we’d get two majors in 2024 after all those close calls, I would’ve laughed,” Kaiser said. “There’s no way. We kept knocking on the door, wondering when it would happen. But to actually pull through twice? It’s just wild.” Schauffele had finished T2 and T3 at Masters and US Open in 2019. He came so close to the win, and yet it was too far. His best finish at the PGA Championship before this year was T10 in 2020, and at The Open, he got T15 as his best finish until this year in 2022. He had to wait another 5 years to be known as the major champion.

Kaiser also shared just how much those wins meant to him on a personal level. “They both mean so much to me because I go out there and work hard to help him as much as possible. When he pulls through, it feels like an accomplishment for both of us,” he added. This is how the relationship should be! At Valhalla, when Schauffele bagged his maiden major win, he had to help his caddie calm down at the 10th hole on the final day.

Yeah, we’re beyond that. I mean, I told I told I mean, I’m usually the one who has to calm Austin down here. And I mean, it’s rare for a player to have to calm his caddy down in tough moments. But I have to do that. It’s like a bit of a double role for me, but I’m just kidding,” he said with a chuckle at the Golf Subpar podcast. 

Xander Schauffele further stated, “I put my arm around Austin at some point, like on the front line will be closed up and or maybe not my arm around it, but I was like, let’s get to 22. So I told him, You know, I was like, let’s get a 39 I felt pretty good. And I was like, let’s get to 22 like I think 22 is going to be enough. And I just wanted to keep pushing for. Like I knew I was willing to look at the board but I knew I needed to set my own goal because I needed to keep pushing forward and not react to what everyone else was doing.” The bond between the golfer and his caddie was visible at the time, understanding the mental and emotional challenges they faced together on the course.

Schauffele has always been known as one of golf’s most consistent players, but finally breaking through in the majors? That’s a whole different level. In fact, his first major win helped him break two years of winless drought. For Kaiser, those moments were more than just exciting—they were emotional.  “I get emotional thinking about those Sundays he won. I’m just like, ‘Holy cr*p, it’s pretty crazy.’”

With two majors in the bag, Schauffele’s 2024 season is one for the books. And for Kaiser, the guy who’s been there through it all, it’s a year he’ll never forget—no matter how laughable it seemed just months ago.

Schauffele’s reaction to his major championship was just as emotional

Winning two majors in a single season? That’s the kind of stuff golfers dream about, and Xander Schauffele lived it in 2024. His first big win came at the PGA Championship, where he dominated the leaderboard with a jaw-dropping 21-under-par finish. The celebrations kicked off right away—family, friends, hugs, tears, the whole nine yards.

“It was all over the place,” Schauffele shared on The Smylie Kaufman Show. “Hugs and tears from family and all that stuff was really overwhelming.” But the moment didn’t truly hit him until much later. At 5 a.m., after all the buzz and chaos, he caught a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror. That’s when it sank in. “I freaking did it! I’m a major champion,” he said, reliving the pride and relief of the moment.

Then came major win number two at The Open. With a solid 6-under 65 in the final round, Schauffele turned a two-shot deficit into a win. He stayed cool under pressure, thanks to the confidence boost from his first win earlier in the season. “I think winning the first one helped me a lot today on the back nine,” he said.

And as for that iconic claret jug? Schauffele couldn’t wait to celebrate properly. “I just can’t wait to drink out of it,” he joked with a smile. It was the perfect cap to a season that’ll be tough to top. And just as Schauffele put it, “It’s a dream come true to win two majors in one year.”