After seeing the unthinkable happen – Scottie Scheffler missing the cut last week at the Genesis Scottish Open – a friend of his on tour put together a detailed text message laying out Scheffler’s options for how to spend his unexpected weekend off.
Continue practicing at the Renaissance Club in Scotland. Get in some extra gym time. Arrive early at Royal Birkdale for the Open Championship this week.
“He never sent it to me, but he told me about it. I was like, oh, you should have sent it; I was a bit lost,” Scheffler said Tuesday after missing his first cut since August 2022, ending a run of 78 consecutive cuts made.
Scheffler arrived at Birkdale on Saturday afternoon, allowing himself the option of easing into the defense of the title he won a year ago at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. It was a forced audible and it was one more wrinkle in a season that, judged against any standard other than Scheffler’s own success the past two years, would be deemed impressive.
The numbers are familiar already. One victory. Four runner-up finishes. Playoff losses at the RBC Heritage and the Travelers Championship. A run of 35 consecutive top-25 finishes before his Scottish Open flameout.
A ranking this season among the top 15 in the four major statistical categories: Strokes gained total, strokes gained off the tee, strokes gained approach and strokes gained putting.
And yet …
Scheffler finds himself being asked what’s different this year. Had Matt Fitzpatrick not nearly holed his approach shot on the first extra hole at Harbour Town in April or had Scheffler not missed a putt from inside five feet on the first extra hole of his playoff with Viktor Hovland at the Travelers the tone would be different.
“I’ve had a very solid year, but … frustrating at times because I’ve been close and I haven’t been able to get it done like I have been in years past.” – Scottie Scheffler
The single biggest difference has been Scheffler’s approach play. He’s led the tour in that category the previous two years and he’s 13th this year but his proximity to the hole has declined. He led that category last year and this year he’s 103rd on tour, his approach shots on average five feet farther away than a year ago.
“I’ve had a very solid year, but … frustrating at times because I’ve been close and I haven’t been able to get it done like I have been in years past,” Scheffler said in his pre-tournament media session, reiterating what has begun to sound like a mantra in recent weeks.
It was a year ago, days before his name was etched into the Claret Jug, that Scheffler found himself in a philosophical discussion about what drives him as a golfer and the fleeting feeling of accomplishment he finds with each victory.
Scheffler explained that the thrill of winning quickly fades but the satisfaction of having done the work and made the effort tends to endure. While winning trophies is the goal, Scheffler suggested he’s driven by a more fundamental desire.
When the topic was broached on Tuesday, Scheffler said it was “weird” that he talked about those feelings last year and he hoped he explained himself properly.
“I guess the point for me was like always figuring out your why, like why am I doing this? Why do I want to win this tournament so badly? Why do I choose to play this sport for a living? Like always figuring out your why,” Scheffler said.
“I think, when I have a really good understanding of what my why is when I’m playing, I think that’s when I’m always at — like I’m at peace the most.”
Though Scheffler may have preferred to focus on the particular challenges of sun-baked Birkdale this week, he again described what has driven him to be the best in the world for an extended period of time.
“I think sometimes I get really soaked into the competition. I get really into like the heat of the moment, and I think that’s sometimes why you’ll see me get frustrated. That’s why I kind of posed the question like why do I want to win this tournament so badly? Like it would almost be easier if I didn’t want to win this badly,” Scheffler said.
“If losing didn’t hurt so much, it might be easier to come out and play. But then again when I retire and I sit back, I’m going to miss the feeling of waking up in the morning and not being able to eat breakfast because your stomach hurts because you’re anticipating the day.
“Those feelings are hard to replicate, and it’s a hard thing to describe until you’re in the moment, but when you’re able to succeed and have some success in the game, those are very great gifts that I’m extremely thankful for. But I would say my why has never really changed. It’s just always about resetting and getting back to remembering why I play golf.”
It is not about historical achievement for Scheffler. As much as he wants to win tournaments, Scheffler said he doesn’t want to be judged by the numbers on his résumé, which have already assured him a spot in the hall of fame.
“I don’t necessarily want to be remembered for winning the tournaments that I won. I’d much rather be remembered for the way that I did it than the tournaments that I won. So if I’m doing things the right way, treating people the right way – like I said, a successful week for me is when I approach things the right way, when I’m committed to what I’m doing,” Scheffler said.
“But I’d much rather be remembered for doing things the right way than the guy that won all the tournaments.”
Being remembered for both may yet be Scheffler’s most impressive accomplishment.