PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Scottie Scheffler has won more tournaments and majors than anyone over the last three years. He is No. 1 in the world and no one is close to him. Nothing would mean more to him than leaving Royal Portrush with the silver claret jug.
That’s where golf gets a little complicated for Scheffler, who loves his job and all the work it entails, but who found himself searching Tuesday for what it all means.
He delivered an amazing soliloquy ahead of the British Open about fulfillment. The short answer: It’s not the two Masters green jackets, the Wanamaker Trophy he won at the PGA Championship, the three Jack Nicklaus Awards as PGA Tour player of the year or the FedEx Cup.
“Is it great to be able to win tournaments and to accomplish the things I have in the game of golf? Yeah, it brings tears to my eyes just to think about because I’ve literally worked my entire life to be good at this sport,” Scheffler said.
“But at the end of the day, I’m not out here to inspire the next generation of golfers,” he said. “I’m not out here to inspire someone to be the best player in the world because what’s the point? This is not a fulfilling life. It’s fulfilling from the sense of accomplishment, but it’s not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places of your heart.”
His comments came in a year when Rory McIlroy fulfilled his life dream of winning the Masters, which gave him the career Grand Slam. McIlroy spoke last month about growing weary of being asked about his next set of goals, the next mountain he wants to climb.
“I probably just didn’t give myself enough time to let it all sink in. But that’s the nature of professional golf,” McIlroy said. “They do a very good job of keeping you on the hamster wheel, and you feel like it’s hard to get off at times.”
This is where Scheffler might be different. He seems to enjoy the hamster wheel. There is no next mountain to find because he’s busy scaling the one he is on.
He loves the chase. He wants the prize. He finds satisfaction in putting in the work. The thrill comes from competition. Scheffler also hates losing, no matter what’s at stake.
“Scottie don’t play games when he’s playing games,” said his caddie, Ted Scott.
They played a match at Cypress Point this year. It was Scheffler’s fourth day swinging a club since puncturing his right hand with a wine glass in a freak accident while making ravioli.
Scheffler gave him 10 shots, and the countdown began.
Scott his his approach into 5 feet and was feeling good about his chances, right up until Scheffler’s shot spun back and hit his caddie’s golf ball. They both made birdie. Scheffler won the next hole and said loud enough for Scott to hear, “Nine.”
He won the next hole with a par and said even louder, “EIGHT.”
“He was 6 under through six,” Scott said. “I gave him the $100 and said: ‘Don’t say anything else. I want to enjoy my day.’”
This is what drives Scheffler — winning the Masters, winning a bet with his caddie, winning anything. He has won 19 times since his first title at the 2022 Phoenix Open. Strictly by his math, that would be 38 minutes worth of celebrating.
“Sometimes the feeling only lasts about two minutes,” he said. “It’s pretty exciting and fun, but it just doesn’t last that long.”
So where does fulfillment come from if it’s not winning?
Scheffler is grounded in his faith, in a simple family life with a wife he has been with since high school, a 15-month-old son, three sisters and friends that are not part of the tour community.
“I love the challenge. I love being able to play this game for a living. It’s one of the greatest joys of my life,” he said. “But does it fill the deepest wants and desires of my heart? Absolutely not.”
He often says golf doesn’t define him as a person, and he said if it reached a point where the sport ever affected life at home, “that’s going to be the last day that I play out here for a living.”
He’s had moments of appreciation, for sure.
There was one moment last summer when his wife, Meredith, was in the living room and he was in his office. He walked out with the Masters green jacket and the plaid jacket from winning Hilton Head. He had The Players Championship trophy in one hand and another trophy in his other hand.
“Wassup, Mere,” he said to his wife.
Scheffler laughed telling the story. He’s not sure why he did it, except it was fun. And then it was back to work. There’s always the next tournament.
“There’s a lot of people that make it to what they thought was going to fulfill them in life, and you get there — you get to No. 1 in the world — and they’re like, ‘What’s the point?’ I really do believe that because what is the point? Why do I want to win this tournament so bad? That’s something that I wrestle with on a daily basis.
“It’s like showing up at the Masters every year. Why do I want to win this golf tournament so badly? Why do I want to win The Open Championship so badly? I don’t know,” he said. “Because, if I win, it’s going to be awesome for two minutes.
“Then we’re going to get to the next week.”
Xander Schauffele spent time with him at the Olympics last summer. Schauffele won two majors last year, including the claret jug. What they have in common is not lingering on laurels.
“That’s why he’s been No. 1 and hasn’t even sniffed looking backwards,” Schauffele said. “If he was sitting there looking at all his trophies every day, I’m sure he’d still be playing great golf, but I don’t think he’s that guy.”
