Jordan Spieth may not have found Xander Schauffele's first major triumph at the PGA Championship at Valhalla all that surprising, but that doesn't mean he wasn't inspired by his peer's victory at Valhalla.

“I've been playing with Xander for the better part of seven years now, and if you asked me, ‘Is there any doubt in your mind that he would win major championships?' I would say there's — I don't know a weakness in his game, so it's just a matter of time, so it's not surprising at all,” Spieth said Wednesday ahead of the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, TX.

Prior to last week, Schauffele had an Olympic gold medal, seven PGA Tour wins, and 12 major top-10s on his CV. In Louisville — fresh off a runner-up at the Wells Fargo Championship — the no. 3 ranked player in the world led the field wire-to-wire. Schauffele opened the event with a record-tying 62 and finished at 21-under par — the lowest winning major score of all-time.

Schauffele fended off charges from Bryson Dechambeau (-20) and Viktor Hovland (-18) on a thrilling Sunday. The 30-year-old carded six birdies and one bogey en route to a final round 65.

Spieth (-6) tied for 43rd in his seventh attempt at the career Grand Slam.

“Am I inspired? Yeah. I mean, one thing that he's been doing that's been different is he's looked to add speed, but did it like very methodically, very quietly, very in the dark,” Spieth continued. “It's been amazing watching him go after tournament rounds, like on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and he'll go to the work out trailer and hit a heavy gym session after the round. It's not common out here.

“But he's going after and hitting these heavy workouts with a goal in mind that he thought would gain a slight advantage over — he already had a lot of speed, and he did it while maintaining his consistency and his short game, and it just allowed him to hit shorter clubs into greens, maybe over the course of four rounds being a shot or two. The way he approached that patiently is extremely inspiring.”

Schauffele has been the second-best player on the PGA Tour in 2024, and arguably the second most consistent (after Scottie Scheffler) since he last visited the winner's circle at the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open.

Spieth, 30, is hoping Schauffele's example and the friendly confines of Colonial can provide a spark heading towards the U.S. Open at Pinehurst (June 13) and the Open Championship at Royal Troon (July 19).

Spieth's only top-1o since the WM Phoenix Open in February came in another non-Signature Event in his home state, at the Valero Texas Open in March (T9). Last month, drawing inspiration from Scheffler, he attempted a midseason “reset.”

“I'm not a very patient person and I think that's gotten me in trouble in a lot of times in my career, as far as the process,” Spieth said Wednesday. “Like trusting the process and giving it time and not having to have results right away. (Xander) didn't seem bothered by close calls. He had to answer a lot of questions regarding Sundays or whatever, and I remember having those for a year or two as well and then I was more patient back then because I was playing consistently better, so it was easier to be more patient. Once it goes your way, then you start thinking they're all going to go your way, and then they do. So I wouldn't be surprised if this is just the beginning.”

Schauffele is not in the field in Texas.

Spieth's last win of the PGA Tour came at the 2021 RBC Heritage Open.

“I feel good,” he said about the Charles Schwab Challenge. “It's nice that I'm able to be in my own bed. This tournament's always actually felt like kind of an exhale.”