Scottie Scheffler is not only the undisputed No. 1 player in the world, but he is also perhaps golf’s fiercest competitor.
And the newly minted FedEx Cup champion admits he “feels bad” for being so locked in and not engaging with fans while he is in action. The 30-year-old delivered yet another ruthless, laser-focused performance to win the Tour Championship on Sunday.
Scheffler started three shots adrift of 54-hole leader Viktor Hovland, but he fired a closing 66 at East Lake while others faltered to surge to a three-shot victory over the Norwegian. Scheffler landed a $10 million payday for his win, and knocked Tiger Woods off the top of the PGA Tour’s all-time money list in the process.
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While Scheffler gives very little away when he is in the heat of battle, he is grateful for the support he receives. He said: “I think days like today are really fun.
“To come from behind and be able to win a tournament is a really cool feeling. There was a lot of talented guys in front of me on the leaderboard. I was fortunate to get off to a good start and put myself in the mix.
“The crowd this week has been amazing. The support I’ve gotten week in and week out on the PGA Tour has been tremendous. I have a tendency to keep my head down and kind of stay in my own lane when I’m out there playing. It’s really fun when you’re able to win and celebrate with the fans in moments like these and have my family here.
Few players are more locked in than Scheffler in the heat of competition -Credit:Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images
“I feel bad sometimes. I really do keep my head down and try to focus as much as I can, but I really do hear all the cheers, and I’m very thankful for all of them.”
Scheffler has insisted neither money nor legacy motivates him, but instead a love of competition, and he gave an insight into his mentality after this, his 22nd PGA Tour victory.
“I think just playing tournament golf is a battle as a whole. I think that’s part of why I love it too,” he said. “I get to play against the course, myself. You have to learn how to handle your emotions, handle pressure, not take days off. That’s something I’m very proud of.
“I feel like I hold myself to a high standard, which I think sometimes can be good and bad. I feel like, at times, I probably could be a bit of a pain to be around when things aren’t going the way they should. I don’t feel like I take days off. I’m highly competitive, and I’m very proud of being able to have the consistent results I’ve had over the years.
“I feel like it’s something that’s very difficult to do, and it’s something that I’m very proud of. I don’t take tournaments off. I don’t take days off during tournaments. I try to give it my all each and every day. I feel like it’s a gift to play out here on the PGA Tour, and I don’t want to take it for granted.
“I don’t want to look back at the end of my career and feel like I could have done more in order to play well. I want to be able to tell myself when I hang it up that I did everything I could. I feel like years like this kind of show that to myself, how important that is.”