Scottie Scheffler has revealed that the golf course, not other players, is his biggest opponent every week. The world No. 1 made the comments ahead of this week’s 3M Open after he was asked about the growing attention on player rivalries following The Open Championship.
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This comes after Rory McIlroy made strong remarks about Bryson DeChambeau during The Open at Royal Birkdale. McIlroy criticized DeChambeau’s conduct after the LIV Golf star received a two-shot penalty and became involved in a lengthy discussion with R&A rules officials.
Rather than focus on the disagreement between two of golf’s biggest names, Scheffler said he sees competition in a very different way. He believes golf is unique because every player is trying to beat the course instead of stopping another competitor from succeeding.
Scheffler Explains Why Golf Is Different From Other Sports
Speaking to reporters before the 3M Open, Scheffler said rivalries naturally develop in team sports because players compete directly against one another. He compared golf to his experience playing basketball, where every possession involves trying to stop an opponent.
“I think golf’s different in a sense of a lot of other sports because my biggest rival week in and week out is the golf course that we’re playing,” Scheffler said.
He explained that golfers cannot prevent another player from hitting good shots or making putts. Instead, every competitor is trying to play the course as well as possible.
“I could never stop somebody from doing anything in golf,” he said. “We’re always competing against ourselves on the golf course.”
Scheffler added that while fans often enjoy rivalries, he does not believe they are a major part of professional golf.
Scheffler’s Says He’s Not a “Fan of Personal Jabs”
Scheffler was also asked about McIlroy’s criticism of DeChambeau following the rules controversy at Royal Birkdale.
“I’ve never been a big fan of personal jabs,” Scheffler said. “I don’t think that rivalry is a big thing in golf because, like I said, my biggest rivalry week in and week out is the golf course.”
During the second round of The Open, DeChambeau received a two-shot penalty after R&A officials ruled that he had improved the area of his intended backswing by flattening long grass behind his ball. The American challenged the decision on the course before accepting the penalty.
After the incident, McIlroy described DeChambeau’s actions as “performative” and said he was “not particularly fond” of the two-time U.S. Open champion.
Main Photo Credit: © Debby Wong/ZUMA Press Wire)
