PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Two days after Scottie Scheffler said the thrill of winning wears off after a few minutes, here he was, chasing those few minutes. The surest bet of the British Open was that, no matter what people thought of his comments, Scheffler would be determined to win. The second-surest was that he would give himself a chance to do it.
Scheffler missed 11 of 14 fairways in difficult conditions and still shot a three-under 68. Perhaps Friday he will miss all his putts and shoot a 62, then drink 11 pints of Guinness and lose weight.
But about missing those fairways, Scottie …
“You’re the second guy that’s mentioned it to me,” Scheffler told a questioner. “I actually thought I drove it pretty good, so I don’t know what you guys are seeing out there. When it’s raining sideways, it’s actually—believe it or not—not that easy to get the ball in the fairway.”
I would like to note here that I was not the questioner and also that the question was entirely reasonable. (These two facts may be related.) He did miss 11 of 14 fairways. This is a guy who has been No. 1, 2 and 1 on the PGA Tour in strokes gained off the tee in the last three seasons. Sure, it was raining sideways for much of Scheffler’s round, but his two playing partners, Shane Lowry and Collin Morikawa, each hit 7 fairways.
Let’s also note here, though, that as testy as that quote might read, it did not sound that way at all in person. Go back and read it in the opposite of Sergio Garcia’s voice, and then you will understand.
Scheffler likes to tease the media, but there is no undertone of anger, no score to settle. He seems to tease just to amuse himself, and maybe to connect with us. The thing that just about every golfer admires most about Scheffler is that nothing ever seems to rattle him, and this carries over to his public demeanor. You can be right or wrong about his golf game, but he doesn’t worry about it either way.
“I try to be as honest as I can with you all, with the stuff I’m willing to say,” he said Thursday.
The reaction to his comments earlier this week was predictable. Americans in particular are hard-wired to believe that in sports, megalomania is an asset. Some all-time greats destroy ruthlessly. Scheffler destroys chummily. Good for him.
Golf’s tour wars might leave fans with the impression that top players are all spoiled and lacking in self-awareness. But this week, Xander Schauffele said he doesn’t keep trophies in his house and has no idea where his Olympic gold medal is, and he said Thursday that he did not think once all day about winning last year’s British. Schauffele, like Scheffler, is focused on the next thing. But he also doesn’t need to surround himself with reminders of his greatness.
Scheffler could be annoyed that some people misinterpreted his comments. He doesn’t even seem to have noticed.
“I’ve had some players come up to me and say they feel and think the same things,” Scheffler said. “If anybody’s disagreed with me, they haven’t said it to my face yet. So I don’t know what my reaction would be.”
My guess would be a smile, and maybe a joke, though the one he has played on the Tour for the last three years would be tough to beat.
Scheffler is halfway to the career grand slam, and there is no guarantee he will even get to 75 percent. He needs a U.S. Open and a British, and it’s actually—believe it or not—not that easy to win a major. He plays with such uncommon consistency that he seems made to win a U.S. Open, but he might actually have a better chance to win the British.
This tournament is all about the elements: A gust of wind, an unlucky bounce to a horrible lie, moisture between the clubface and the ball. Scheffler has a better chance of controlling his ball than anybody, and he is the least likely to let the conditions or luck get to him. He is also an exceptional chipper, no matter the situation, and the slow greens negate much of the advantage the best putters might have over him.
“It’s unbelievable how well he manages his way around a golf course, and the scores he shoots,” Lowry said. “He’s just incredible. Even when it looks like (he) hit a bad shot, it doesn’t go in a bad spot.”
Did you hear that, Scottie? Shane Lowry said sometimes it looks like you hit a bad shot. If that doesn’t tick you off, nothing will. (Nothing will.)
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Unflappable, Unshakable Scottie Scheffler Is Off and Running at British Open.