The build-up to the finale of the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush had viewers on the edge of their seats.
Homegrown Brits, including Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick, were keeping themselves in the mix. Haotong Li, an unlikely contender who had not played in a major tournament since the 2022 Open, was making a run. Harris English and Chris Gotterup, both of whom have yet to win a major, were also vying for the top spot on the leaderboard.
The way the tournament was shaping up may have even led some of the crowd to take a break from drinking their perfectly poured Guinness to better focus on the action.
Only kidding.
In all seriousness, though, the fourth and final major had its usual excitement and competitiveness until the inevitable came along and quickly took it all away: Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler, who has now been ranked as the world’s best golfer for over 100 weeks, flew over the Atlantic Ocean to become Champion Golfer of the Year, a win that marks the fourth major victory of his career. His success, shown by his top-seven or better finishes at every major this year, has some fans thinking he has a good chance of mirroring the careers of some of the sport’s greats — the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
While Scheffler has a ways to go in terms of major tournament victories, the way he’s won so far this year suggests he will be a favorite heading into each weekend for the foreseeable future. While J.J. Spaun’s surprise run at the U.S. Open and McIlroy’s inspiring win at Augusta National took some of the spotlight away from Scheffler, it’s impossible not to admit he’s been the sport’s dominant force.
His success, however, comes at a time when his fire to compete may be waning.
Scheffler’s been raising a family alongside his wife, Meredith, and television broadcasts have often featured their son, Bennett. He’s been open about how important faith is in his life, and his caddie, Ted Scott, is the same way, posting his “Sunday Sermons” the mornings before final rounds.
This is all well and good, but Scheffler said something to the media a few weeks ago that led to some concern about where his head’s at.
“This is not a fulfilling life,” Scheffler told reporters last Tuesday at Royal Portrush. “It’s fulfilling from the sense of accomplishment, but it’s not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places in your heart.”
“It feels like you work your whole life to celebrate winning a tournament for like a few minutes,” Scheffler said. “It only lasts a few minutes.”
Those comments align with Scheffler’s awkward celebration after winning this year’s PGA Championship, where he slammed his hat on the ground as if telling the crowd that their cheers weren’t loud enough. So, maybe Scheffler has been feeling a lack of fulfillment despite the trophy case he’s been building.
The question, then, is if this lack of fulfillment puts his success in jeopardy.
Scheffler is already in a position where he can cement his golf legacy, and if the next few years are anything like this one, then climbing the statistical leaderboards and catching up with the greats won’t be an issue. However, wins aren’t everything, and fans sometimes remember players better by how they walked off the 18th green after nailing a clutch putt, not the putt itself.
While Scheffler’s seen in a mostly positive light, unfortunate instances like his arrest at last year’s PGA Championship in Louisville and now his comments to the press have put that reputation in question.
For now, there’s one certainty: Scheffler will continue winning and compete for trophies week-in and week-out. As for the other parts of his life, Scheffler now has time to figure them out during the offseason.