Scottie Scheffler has passed through the microphones of the press room two days before the start of the The Players. The recent champion at Bay Hill has not hidden. He does not seek the limelight, but if asked about thorny issues, he answers with the simplicity that characterizes him. With no intention of stirring up trouble, but with great clarity.
The World Number One arrived at his meeting with the journalists a few hours after Jay Monahan did. Scheffler stepped into the ring with a clear idea of where things were going: the agreement, Monahan’s leadership, the ranking, the PIF… and of course, his love-hate relationship with the putter.
When asked about the possible disenchantment of the fans with what has happened in the world of golf in recent years, Scottie is clear: “If the fans are upset, they should look at the players who left. We had a Tour, we were all together, and the people who left are no longer here. After all, that’s where the division comes from”. If they want answers, look for those who left and ask them, what can I say, the Texan seems to express.
Scheffler is sincere, but he does not lash out at anyone or declare himself judge of anyone’s actions: “I think we try to do everything possible to create the best product for the fans, but we can’t control if there are players who want to leave. If they want to take the money and go, it’s their decision. I’m not going to sit here and tell them not to accept hundreds of millions of dollars. If that’s what they think is best for their life, then do it. I’m not going to sit here and force anyone to stay on our Tour”, Scottie has concluded.
On the debate of the world ranking, Scheffler also has his opinion and a ‘favourite’ own ranking: “As for the accuracy of the world ranking, I think at the top it is quite accurate, but when you get into the lower part, it is obvious that it is more biased, because there are certain players who do not get points in the ranking”. This is where Scottie proposes his favourite ranking: “There is another ranking that can be looked at and it is the strokes gained. I would say that would be a more accurate ranking system at this time. I still think the world ranking is a good ranking system, but it is true that some players are missing”.
Already focused on the competition, Scottie knows the feat he has ahead: trying to achieve his second victory at TPC Sawgrass after his victory last year. No one has defended the crown at The Players: “There is no one who has won many times on this course. I think it’s because of the nature of this course, it doesn’t really suit one type of player. It’s really a great design by Pete Dye, where you have to hit all kinds of shots, and it tests you in many different ways. That’s why I think it’s one of the best courses we play on the Tour, because it doesn’t suit just one type of player”. Neither the hitters are comfortable, nor those who focus on the short game enjoy too much, is what Scheffler seems to say. All facets have to be aligned if you want to triumph in the so-called fifth major.
The last one to win the tournament twice was Tiger Woods in 2013 after his triumph twelve years before and, as we have advanced before, no one has done it in consecutive years. It is not a small business that the American has ahead. Precisely about the one from Cypress they have asked Scheffler and if he thinks he will be able to play with Tiger many more times: “I wish I had a crystal ball and could tell you how many tournaments we have left”, but Scottie is clear, “he is definitely the best player I have seen, and I think he is the best player we have had. Every time you can walk by his side and compete in the same golf tournament as him is really special”.
It does not end there and he makes it clear that he has learned a lot in the rounds they have been able to share with Tiger: “I learned a lot by watching him. The way he competes in this sport is different from the rest. He puts everything he has into every shot he hits on the golf course, which I think is a very underrated skill here. When he plays a ball, at any time of the tournament, whether it’s his first shot on Thursday or the last one on Sunday, I feel that he gives his all. I learned it by watching him, the way he read the greens, the way he focused on the pitching shots and the iron shots and the tee shots. At no point in the round did he stop going a thousand percent, which is much easier said than done”. He refers precisely to a round at the Masters in which Tiger made ten shots on the par three of hole 12 of Augusta. He then made five birdies in the six remaining holes. Tiger’s things and learnings from another number one. They understand each other.
