Scottie Scheffler’s ascendance to No. 1 in the world rankings has been quicker than a hacker’s backswing.
But is the tall Texan, who has won three of his last five PGA Tour events, ready to win his first major championship this week at the Masters?
Recent form in major championships indicates he is. Scheffler has been in the top 10 at the last three majors, tying for eighth at the PGA Championship, tying for seventh at the U.S. Open and tying for eighth at the British Open. Plus, there was his participation in the Ryder Cup, where he went 2-0-1 as a captain’s pick.
Despite his recent success and becoming world No. 1, Scheffler has almost gotten lost this week among the hubbub surrounding the return of Tiger Woods. And that’s perfectly OK with Scheffler, who said, “I would say Tiger takes a lot of attention away from all of us, which I think is a good thing for us. He is so used to being in the spotlight.”
He just shouldn’t expect to avoid the spotlight for long.
His dash to the top of the rankings started in January. He began the year ranked No. 15 at the American Express, moved up to No. 9 after his win at the Phoenix Open, moved up to No. 5 after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational and jumped into the top spot after beating Kevin Kisner in a playoff to claim the WGC – Dell Technologies Match Play.
The success allowed him to become the sixth player age 25 or younger to reach the top of the rankings. Only Woods and Jordan Spieth, another Texan with whom he is always linked, did it faster.
“The last two months have been pretty good,” Scheffler said. “I’ve been playing some good golf. Definitely not going to take it for granted and hoping to keep it up. My game feels like it’s in a pretty good spot. Looking forward to the challenge of playing this golf course this week.”
“Outside of the guys saying congrats, not much has changed. My friends are still making fun of me. I've still got to do my chores at home."
The No. 1 ranking was a byproduct of his success since he earned full-time status on the PGA Tour. In 81 events from 2019 to 2021, he had two wins, six seconds, three thirds and 16 top-10s. His ranking methodically went from No. 66 to No. 12.
“I never looked at a world ranking other than you reach that milestone and automatically get into tournaments like this,” he said. “So when I’m home preparing, I’m preparing to be in contention and play good golf. The rankings were never really something I looked at. I kind of make a slow rise.
“There was only one time I looked at the rankings and really studied what I needed to do, and I didn’t play that good. Looking at the rankings and focusing on that stuff doesn’t provide any benefit for me. I look forward to preparing and playing good golf and executing shots and being in contention. That’s what’s fun.”
Scheffler has a small sample size at Augusta National. He has only played eight competitive rounds here, but seven of them have been par or better. He has yet to be a serious contender but both times has been inside the top 20, including a tie for 18th in 2021.
The Texan said he learns best through observation and has been paired with two of Augusta National’s most noted oracles – Phil Mickelson for the first two rounds in 2021 and Woods for the third round in 2019.
“I got some pretty good experience just watching them kind of manage their way around the golf course and how they play shots and certain stuff,” he said. “So I’ve had some good experience just being able to watch those guys around this place.”
Despite his newfound success, Scheffler has intentionally not developed a high-profile brand. He still rarely gets recognized when he goes out – and likes it. “We don’t do a lot of crazy stuff,” he said. Scheffler would rather spend time with his wife Meredith, hanging with friends and playing board games.
“Outside of the guys saying congrats, not much has changed,” he said. “My friends are still making fun of me. I’ve still got to do my chores at home.”
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