Scottie Scheffler, world number one and last Masters champion, admitted he is fueled by a fierce competitive streak.
Masters champion Scottie Scheffler once again demonstrated his exceptional ability to stay focused and calm as he cruised to his second victory at Augusta National on Sunday, then revealed his ruthless side.
Scheffler’s quiet personality and lack of emotion on the course have led many to assume he spends his life in what athletes like to call “the zone.”
For some observers, the world number one’s Christian religious beliefs, combined with a simple approach to golf, largely explain the calm manner in which he approached the final nine matches on Sunday at the Masters.
But after donning the green jacket again, Scheffler admitted he was driven by a fierce competitive spirit.
“I love winning. I hate losing. Really,” he said. “And when you’re here in the biggest moments, when I’m leading on Sunday, I really, really want to win.”
Scheffler is always comfortable discussing his Christian faith, but his words suggest that while he doesn’t want his identity to be defined by results, he can’t escape this fierce determination to win.
“I believe today’s plans were already made many years ago and there was nothing I could do to ruin them. This talent was gifted to me and I use it for the glory of God. That’s about it,” he said.
“So when I’m on the field, I try to compete to the best of my ability. Like I said, I really want to win. I feel like this is how I was designed. I’ve been like this since I was a young child. It’s always been a part of me and I don’t think it’s going away anytime soon.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that either,” he said.
Scheffler’s thirst for more suggests that his current dominance of the sport – he has already won three tournaments this year – may not be a fleeting stint at the top.
“I feel like I’m playing really good golf right now,” he said. “I feel like I’m in control of my emotions like I’ve never been, which is a good place to be. I feel like I’m maturing as a person on the golf course, which is a good place to be.
“I think it is difficult to dispute the results of the last few weeks. I played good golf. But I really try not to focus too much on the past. I’m going to go home this week, reflect on this week and soak it up as best I can. It’s not a very satisfying sport because I’m supposed to start again on Thursday. Back to work pretty quickly,” he said.
Scheffler’s wife, Meredith, is expected to give birth to their first child later this month.
He’s looking forward to the prospect, but says he doesn’t expect sleepless nights to impact his form at the next major, the PGA Championship at Valhalla.
“I’m going to go home and soak up this victory tonight. I will definitely enjoy the birth of my first child. But that being said, I still love competition.
“My priorities are going to change here very soon. My son or daughter will now be the main priority, along with my wife, so golf will probably now be fourth in line,” he said, before adding a warning to his rivals.
“But I still love competition. I don’t plan on taking my eyes off the ball anytime soon, that’s for sure.
Fast facts:
Date of birth: June 21, 1996
Place of birth: Ridgewood, New Jersey
Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight: 200 lbs (91 kg)
Major career titles: 2 (Masters 2022, Masters 2024)
Career PGA Tour titles: 9
Awards: 2022, 2023 PGA Tour Player of the Year; 2020 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year; Vardon Trophy 2023
