PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA | Beyond the numbers that define Scottie Scheffler’s dominance of the PGA Tour in recent years – his seven official wins last year, his two Masters victories in three years, his 95 consecutive weeks ranked No. 1 and 130 weeks total atop the world ranking (fourth most all-time) – there is something more that speaks to his place in the game.
It’s the way his peers, especially those who hover in the same ranking zip code, pay attention to what Scheffler does and, perhaps more importantly, how he does it.
Rory McIlroy brought it up earlier this year, saying he has tried to become more Scheffler-like in how he plays, adopting a more disciplined approach in some moments when his naturally aggressive tendencies tug at him.
It’s an approach that can be particularly handy at the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course where the Players Championship begins Thursday with Scheffler attempting to become the first player to win the celebrated title three consecutive years, having become the first to go back to back last year.
When the subject of winning a third straight Players title was broached earlier this week, Scheffler brushed it aside like a leaf in his putting line.
“What does last year’s tournament have to do with this year? You tell me,” Scheffler responded to his questioner.
It wasn’t intended to be a public rebuke but it offered a window into Scheffler’s golf soul, which seems structured on the fundamentals of hard work and being true to himself.
“Last year is last year. I’m not trying to replicate it. I’m not trying to look back on it. At the end of the day, it’s in the past. It was a great year. I’m tremendously thankful. I lived a full lifetime in a year. A lot of great things happened, and I’m very thankful for that,” Scheffler said.
“But when it comes to this year I’ve never been a guy that sets long-term goals. Like in terms of a season, I have what I would think of as dreams and aspirations, but my goal is to be as prepared as possible when I step up on the first tee and then I want to have a good attitude when I go out and play over each shot. And that’s how I view success.”
While Scheffler has left his 2024 season for others to rank and regurgitate, it was here that his exceptionalism came into full focus. He was a week removed from winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational at snake-bite scary Bay Hill when his neck locked up during the second round at the Players, causing him to question if he could continue. Some mid-round physical therapy helped and Scheffler went on to win despite dealing with the neck problem that forced him to compensate in his swing.
Scheffler is content to rely on what got him to this point, whether it’s ignoring the swirl of social media noise that now surrounds the game or demonstrating that his unconventional footwork proves one swing doesn’t fit everyone.
Justin Thomas was playing alongside Scheffler in the second round and what he watched stayed with him.
“I told him last week that I think I was more like infatuated watching him go around the course with a messed up neck than I was playing my own game,” Thomas said.
“I think watching great players or any player win without their best stuff or get it around a golf course without their best stuff is very impressive, and I think it kind of speaks volumes to how they are as a player.”
Scheffler is content to rely on what got him to this point, whether it’s ignoring the swirl of social media noise that now surrounds the game or demonstrating that his unconventional footwork proves one swing doesn’t fit everyone.
It speaks to Scheffler’s self-discipline and self-belief but it doesn’t fully mask the fire that fuels him.
“I think there’s a lot happening inside with Scottie that’s hard to see, but now he’s been in this position and playing this well for a long time, it must be happening. There’s something really driving him inside, because he doesn’t give much away on the outside,” Adam Scott said.
Only Tiger Woods, Greg Norman and Dustin Johnson have spent more cumulative weeks atop the world ranking than Scheffler. While the ranking’s value may be somewhat diminished in the LIV Golf era, there is little doubt that everyone is chasing Scheffler.
At the same time, Scheffler is chasing nothing more than getting the most from himself, understanding he can’t control the rest. He won’t stay No. 1 forever but he’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
“In a perfect world, the results would continue to be the way that they are and I could be No. 1 for the rest of my life, but life doesn’t always go that way so I’m going to enjoy it while I can, continue to prepare the way that I do, and approach each tournament in a way that when I think about success, I don’t think about being the best player in the world,” Scheffler said.
“I think about my attitude on the golf course and my preparation. Those are the two things that I focus on the most. If I can be prepared when I step on the first tee and if I can have a good attitude over each and every shot, that for me is a successful week.”
It seems to be working.
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