The reigning champion of the Open Championship has already switched into title-defence mode. Scottie Scheffler arrives this week at the Genesis Scottish Open with a single aim: to readapt to the links before facing the defence of the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale. And, although he says he does not usually look back, he admitted that the trophy of the famous British major ended up meaning more to him than he expected.
“No soy una persona que reflexione demasiado. Siento que estoy en mitad de mi carrera y ya habrá tiempo para hacerlo cuando termine. Ahora sólo pienso en lo que tengo que hacer para seguir compitiendo”, explicó el Número Uno del mundo cuando le preguntaron por el triunfo logrado hace un año en Royal Portrush. Sin embargo, hubo una excepción: “Me sorprendió muchísimo lo especial que terminó siendo la Jarra de Clarete. Siempre conocí su historia y su significado, pero cuando la tienes en las manos… es el tamaño perfecto, ni muy grande ni muy pequeña, y además puedes beber de ella. Va a ser muy duro tener que devolverla el martes, pero lucharé con todas mis fuerzas para recuperarla el domingo”.
Scheffler revealed that one of the most special moments of the past year was precisely sharing that trophy with his family and closest friends. “We organised a dinner at home with our friends. Also there were the Wanamaker from the PGA Championship and the Claret Jug. Everyone drank from it, even my agent’s ten-year-old son had lemonade. Those are the memories that really remain”, he recounted.
Beyond the emotional component, the American explained that the Genesis Scottish Open has become a key piece of his preparation for the final major of the season: “I come here to compete and to try to win, not just to prepare for the Open. But playing a week earlier helps massively. You get used to the time difference, the turf, the wind and a completely different style of golf to what we have in the United States“.
The Texan by adoption believes that adaptation goes much further than any single shot. “What is really hard is getting used to the conditions again. The greens are firm, but also somewhat slower than ours. You have to recalibrate the feel and understand once more how the ball rolls. That is why it is so important to compete before the Open“, he explained.
Scheffler again made his admiration for links golf clear, a style he considers unique within the global calendar: “It’s a very pure way to play golf. The wind changes the course from one day to the next, you have to constantly improvise and there are many more options around the green. I wish we could play more weeks a year on these kinds of courses, although it is also true that it is a type of golf impossible to reproduce away from these coasts”.
Precisely for that reason he defended the importance of keeping the Genesis Scottish Open on the calendar as it is. “For me it is a fantastic way to prepare for the Open. The course is very good, the crowds always respond and I hope it continues to be part of this stretch of the calendar for many years”, he concluded. A perfect week to prepare the defence of the Claret Jug and, why not, to try to add another title to his immense record.
