John Fields is a true legend among university head coaches in the United States. Since 1997, he has been performing this role at Texas University. Among his students are Jhonattan Vegas, Dylan Fritelli, Doug Ghim, but above all, two Major champions stand out… Beware: a certain Jordan Spieth and perhaps another one called Scottie Scheffler might ring a bell. Chosen as coach of the year in 2022, he has led his university to two NCAA titles. Quite an institution.
In the midst of the emotional aftermath of the World Number One’s victory at the Open, Ten Golf has spoken exclusively with the man who was Scottie’s head coach for four years. There, we find an impressive connection with Spain. What is it about? Easy. His love for the great genius from Pedreña, Seve Ballesteros. Fields confesses: Scheffler and Seve are connected in some way. “There is an inner energy, a creativity, and a way of competing that reminds me of the legendary Seve.” It’s not just anyone saying it; it’s an authoritative voice that knows the Texan’s competitive soul like few others.
Fields speaks from experience, not only because he has coached PGA Tour champions but also because he was a player on the European Tour in 1983 and had the fortune to see and compete hand in hand with the magician Seve. The admiration was there before, but that year it turned into unconditional love. He never got to play with him, but he watched him with devotion, learning from his genius on the course. “Watching Seve was an experience. If he played in the morning, I would go see him in the afternoon. If it was the other way around, the same. I spent a lot of time watching him on the practice field. He had a way of competing that was hypnotic,” he recalls.
Three decades later, Fields admits he found a young man with some traits that reminded him of the Cantabrian genius. “Scottie has a natural creativity to get out of trouble, to imagine impossible shots and execute them without fear. It’s something that can’t be taught. Seve had that too. When I saw him in the rough, making impossible shots, I thought: ‘Where have I seen this before?’. The answer was immediate.”
He jokingly but convincingly holds: “If it’s true that there is a second life, surely Seve got into Scheffler’s body. I think they are very similar.” BalleScheffler he would say to himself, seeing the evident similarity between the two players.
The comparison goes beyond the short game. “There is an expression on Scottie’s face, a determination in his gaze, even a physical resemblance. Without a beard, he has a chin that reminds me a lot of Seve’s. It’s like he’s a modern and physically stronger version of Ballesteros. Even the way he holds the finish of the swing, that Arnold Palmer-like gesture, Seve did that too.”
During his time at the University of Texas, Fields learned an important lesson: when Scheffler got into trouble, it was best not to intervene. “I would ask him what he was going to do, and most of the time he would miss the shot. When I started keeping quiet, 95% of the time he executed it successfully. He had something special. Inside, I thought: Let him be Seve. Let him be Scheffler”.
John Fields never spoke to Scottie about Seve. He never made the comparison. “It wasn’t necessary. It was something I told myself to calm down when things got tense. I knew I could trust his instinct.”
Beyond pure talent, what impressed and still impresses the coach the most is Scheffler’s integrity as a person. “He is an extraordinary human being. He loves people. He is especially kind to children. He has that sensitivity and empathy that Seve also had. They are people who leave a mark on you.”
For Fields, the spiritual connection between both players is also reflected in the respect they generate among their peers. “When Seve passed away, many cried. Nick Faldo, Ben Crenshaw, Bernard Langer… they all shed tears for him because they loved him. Scottie is in that same category. It’s impossible not to love him.”
The Texas coach believes that what Scheffler is achieving in his career is extraordinary, but it doesn’t surprise him. “We saw it from his years in Texas. He was extremely competitive but also disciplined. He graduated with a degree in finance in four years while playing at a very high level. That tells you what kind of person he is.”
He still maintains regular contact with Scheffler and his wife Meredith. “I sent him a message after winning the Open. Meredith usually replies because Scottie is very busy, but they always appreciate it. They are a blessing for the PGA Tour.”
Throughout the conversation, Fields returns again and again to that common point: passion. “When I saw Scottie cry on the podium, listening to the national anthem after winning gold in Paris last year, I immediately thought of Seve. He would have done the same if he had won something like that representing Spain. That pure, unfiltered emotion is what connects the true greats.”
Fields gets emotional when talking about those days on the European Tour. He remembers Seve betting with his caddie on the putting green, joking with the fans, always with a smile, but with a fiery look. “He was pure charisma. And Scottie has that. He may seem calm on the outside, but inside he is a competitive volcano.”
Today, after his fourth victory in a major, Scheffler still hasn’t lost his way. “He is the same guy as always. Hardworking, respectful, humble. But now, with each title, he is cementing his legacy. And in my mind, that legacy will always be connected to Seve’s.”
The comparison is neither gratuitous nor opportunistic. It comes from someone who has lived professional golf from the inside, who saw Seve shine at his best and who has accompanied Scheffler from his beginnings. “When people compare him to Tiger or Jack, I think of Seve. For his creativity, for his magnetism, for that magic that can’t be trained. There is something of Seve in Scottie. And that makes me very happy.”
