Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked golfer and a three-time major winner, took time on Tuesday to discuss the transient nature of success in golf. With the Open Championship looming on the horizon, he made it clear that his goals go beyond just a top 10 finish. He does indeed want to win, or else he shows his sharp competitive tooth.
His head firmly locked in a determined place, Scheffler experienced difficulties in his last round. He had the worst putting week of his career, losing 1.45 strokes gained at one point. Even with that miscue, he managed to come home in the top-10. His performance took us through his perseverance and determination. He putted through his putting struggles to a very good 3-under 68.
On Thursday at Portrush, Scheffler showed major signs of putting progress, gaining 2.26 strokes. He referred to the greens at Portrush as “smoother.” This probably helped his putting much more than making the trip to Delaware did his putting performance relative to last week’s Scottish Open.
During his round, Scheffler displayed commendable skill off the tee, hitting the ball well overall. The only swing he was unhappy with, he said, was the one on his second hole of the day. He struggled to find the right lines on the course, missing three of 14 fairways in his first round.
“I think I’ve made that pretty clear over the course of my career,” Scheffler remarked regarding his commitment to winning rather than settling for a top finish. He acknowledged the unique challenges posed by the weather conditions during his round, stating, “When it’s raining sideways, it’s actually, believe it or not, not that easy to get the ball in the fairway.”
It was Scheffler’s unbelievable approach game that did it, as he picked up a transcendent +3.27 strokes on approach. He fought steady wind and rain over the first half of his round. Even amidst those distracting and intense circumstances, he stayed pragmatic and poised, flexing his undisputed elite status in the sport.
“Wind is something that obviously makes links golf challenging, but the rain adds a whole new element to it, especially when you’re hitting the tee balls,” he explained. This tactical brilliance is just another example of Scheffler’s grasp of the game’s nuances, as well as his flexibility to make changes on the fly.
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