And suddenly, Scottie Scheffler is the brightest star in professional golf.
It’s so surreal – and thrilling! – to write those words. Four PGA Tour victories in two months, including a crowd-pleasing win at the Masters, and an ascent to No. 1 in the World Golf Rankings. Wow, just wow!
Much of the TGA Staff has known him since he was a sub-5-foot-tall teenager who dominated on the Legends Junior Tour with precision off the tee and one of the saltiest short games you’d ever seen.
Now the 25-year-old from Dallas towers over most folks at 6-foot-3. He bombs his driver an average of 309 yards. His irons are pure. That magic short game he had as a kid? Yeah, it’s better than ever. You likely saw it on display a couple weeks ago at Augusta National.
To say Texans have been spoiled with world-class golfers is an all-time understatement. Way back in the day, it was the likes of Babe Zaharias, Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Jimmy Demaret, Kathy Whitworth, Jack Burke, Lee Trevino, and Sandra Haynie. Then came Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, Stacy Lewis, Justin Leonard, Kelli Kuehne, and Angela Stanford.
More recent years produced Jordan Spieth, Cheyenne Knight, Will Zalatoris, Kaitlyn Papp, and so many others on the way soon.
But it’s Scottie’s time right now, and the golf world is his. Following a dominating win at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play in late March, Scottie ascended to No. 1 in the World Golf Rankings.
He did it in his 92nd career PGA Tour event, too. Only two players reached World No. 1 faster. Those names?
Tiger Woods (21 events) and Jordan Spieth (77). Decent company there.
Then Scottie validated his world ranking with his first major championship and a green jacket.
Like Jordan, Will, Kaitlyn, and Cheyenne, the TGA likes to consider Scottie as “one of ours.” They played in our championships, won our championships, and made long-lasting impressions on so many people.
We wanted to share some thoughts from some of us who were lucky enough to watch Scottie grow up and grow into the best golfer in the world.
When I hear Scottie’s name, the first thing that comes to mind is just how competitive he was. He cared about winning and always knew exactly where he stood. At the end of 2008, he and Will Zalatoris were neck-and-neck for Player of the Year in the Boys 12-14 Division. It came down to the season-ending Tour Championship and Scottie won POY by the slimmest margin – I think it was just a .5 difference at the end. It was a big deal to Scottie even at a young age.
He was a short hitter back then because he wasn’t very tall. There were some par 4s he couldn't reach in regulation, but he had a tremendous short game and made a ton of pars. I think that's why he did so well in match play; he would just wear you down. These days, he overpowers the golf course, but he still rarely makes a mistake.
Off the golf course, Scotties was quiet, humble, a grinder. We heard stories about how much work he was putting in with Randy Smith at Royal Oaks, so we knew he had the drive. I remember going to one of his basketball games during his senior year at Highland Park High School, and he was the prototypical “glue guy.” Nothing flashy, just a solid defender and rebounder, a good teammate.
What Scottie has done this season is incredible. I saw someone on Twitter say before the start of the Masters how different those three wins were – from course type to strength of field to format – and it's a testament to his hard work and the overall strength of his game. When you add the length off the tee he now has to his ridiculous short game, it's a lethal combination.
There’s a great picture from the 2010 Byron Nelson Junior of the top-10 finishers holding their framed flags. Scottie (who finished 2nd) is looking up at Jordan (who won). Looking back now and seeing how their careers have progressed, it’s such a fitting photo. Fast forward to today, and Jordan is looking up at Scottie, literally and figuratively.
Watching Scottie slip on the Green Jacket after his Masters win was a surreal moment. For me, the best part was seeing him celebrate the victory with his family. Throughout his junior career, it was a family affair. From his dad driving their family Suburban to every stop, to his sister caddying for him, to his Mom watching a few holes in between meetings, they were always there to support him.
Obviously, Scottie is a name that has resonated in Texas for quite some time, but it is exciting to see the rest of the golf world witness what we all thought was possible dating back to his LJT days.
I don’t think I ever remember a time when Scottie wasn’t happy to be out on the course. He was competitive, but also knew that he was going to have a great day simply because he was on the golf course.
Away from the course, I think Scottie took a lot of what he learned from his good friend James Ragan and applied it to his life – live it up, take time to appreciate what you have, and know that you will make the best of the situation based on what you put into it.
Scottie was one of those kids growing up that the game came naturally to him, but what was impressive is how his parents didn’t force golf on him (or his sisters). Scott and Diane Scheffler wanted their kids to be happy and participate in what THEY wanted to do. We all knew that Scottie would go on and be very successful at the highest levels – USGA, college, professionally – but we weren’t sure that he would hit this level this fast.
What will he accomplish next? I’d answer that with another question: What can’t he accomplish next? He’ll head into the rest of this PGA Tour season with a target on his back. He now wears “The Next Big Thing in Golf” moniker, and people will need to check to see what we have in the water here in Texas – Scottie, Jordan, Will, etc.
One of my favorite Scottie memories was watching him and Jordan in 2010 at the 101st Texas Amateur at Royal Oaks in Dallas. They were teenagers playing against grown men, and Scottie and Jordan had the biggest galleries following them. It was so impressive. They were two of the youngest players out there, but the stage wasn’t too big for either of them. They both made the cut and finished in the top 15 (Jordan T8, Scottie T14). To see them with the mindset that they belonged and didn’t let the moment get too big for them was something to watch. Scottie was the biggest celebrity there that week as it was a literal home game for him having grown up at Royal Oaks.
When I hear Scottie’s name, I think of a former LJT Champion that has been fun to follow since his junior career. I watched him play at the NCAA Championships in 2017 at Rich Harvest Farms and the U.S. Open at Oakmont in 2016.
Scottie has hit a groove now, and he’s riding it to an incredible season on the PGA Tour. Watching his first win was a joy. To follow it up with three more and reach World No. 1 is even more impressive. I knew all along his wins would come, they were just a matter of time.
I won’t be surprised if he wins several more tournaments this year. Either way, the Legends Junior Tour and Texas Golf Association are proud to have him representing Texas.
When I hear Scottie’s name, I instantly think about the 101st Texas Amateur back in 2010. Like John said, it was sooo impressive to watch this little guy who couldn’t reach all the par 4s in two shots compete with grown men and seasoned college golfers. I remember interviewing Scottie after his T14 at Royal Oaks. He was so quiet and shy; it was difficult to get any quotes out of him. Not that I blamed him. He was just 14 years old!
One of the things I’ve always loved about Scottie is the bigger the stage, the tougher the golf course and conditions, the better he plays. I call him a Big Game Hunter. As an amateur at the 2016 U.S. Open, he opened with a 69 in a downpour at one of the hardest courses in America – Oakmont Country Club – and was one of only a few players who finished that day under par. The following year at the U.S. Open, he won Low Amateur honors at Erin Hills. There is no stage too big for him. The Masters just proved that, right?
No one will forget what he did to then-World No. 1 Jon Rahm last fall at the Ryder Cup in Singles, either. Talk about hunting big game! Rahm was the unquestioned leader of the European Team. Scottie steamrolled the Spaniard, 4&3. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get a little misty watching that play out on TV.
Honestly, when I think of Scottie, I think “FAMILY.” After his win in Austin, the reporter immediately wanted to ask him questions, but before anything else Scottie turned and embraced his family. Like many, I teared up when Scott, his dad, hugged him and said, “I’m more proud of who you are than your golf.”
That reminded me of the events I saw him play. His family was always there. It wasn’t just his parents dropping him off at the course and picking him up later. No, Scott and Diane Scheffler would watch and follow the whole round. Callie, Scottie’s older sister, was on the bag caddying for him a lot of the time. Molly and Sara, the younger sisters, were little and tagged along as well.
It was literally the whole Scheffler clan, and they were all supportive of each other.
I’m not surprised at all with what Scottie has accomplished. He’s in the same category as Jordan. Watching him grow and play over the years, it was obvious that there was something special about him. He’s a fierce competitor who just loves the game.
Truthfully, the sky is the limit on what Scottie can do from here. He has the best support system, and with that, you can do anything.
One story comes to mind as example of the thoughtfulness of Scottie’s parents. It was either the Byron Nelson Junior or the Texas Junior Amateur, but one year it was excruciatingly hot. Scott called to make sure we had plenty of water on the course for all the players. We only had a few medium-sized coolers at that point. So, during the morning of the first round, Scottie’s dad showed up with several brand-new giant coolers and just gave them to us. It was several hundred dollars’ worth of new coolers, but he wanted to make sure that everyone on the course would have plenty of water to drink. Those coolers lasted years and I always will remember that kind gesture.
Watching Scottie grow up at Royal Oaks Country Club was a joy. Not just for me, either. Scottie made indelible impressions on many ROCC members. I’ve collected some memories here, and I’m happy to share them:
One time a member named John Carver was having a drink late in the day on the deck of our 19th hole that overlooks the ninth green. Scotty was 9 or 10 years old at the time. He was playing by himself and hitting a wedge into the green. He hits a shot about 15 feet away from the hole and just shakes his head. Drops another ball and hits it under 10 feet. Then hits one last shot that stopped 3 feet away. He despondently walked up and made all three putts.
Colt Knost was on the PGA Tour and practicing bunker shots one day at Royal Oaks. After about 20-30 minutes, he stepped out of the bunker for a break. Scottie, who was about 11 or 12 years old, jumped in and hit 10 or so shots, many of them ending up just 2-3 feet from the hole. Colt asked Scottie, “When did you learn to do that?” Scottie said, “By watching you just now.”
ROCC member Mike McKinley’s daughter was babysitting all four of the Scheffler kids when Scottie was 7 or 8 years old. She was sitting in one room with the girls. Scottie was in the other room with a set of plastic golf clubs and balls. The plastic balls kept flying into the room and hitting the babysitter. She finally realized that Scottie was aiming “at her” with great accuracy.
In 2010, at the Texas Amateur, which was played at Royal Oaks CC, Scottie started 4-over par after his first three holes. He battled back to make the cut and finished the tournament at even par. On the last day, he played with a young man who was on a scholarship at the University of Texas. Scottie was “wearing him out” by making putts all over the course and beat him. Scottie did not have the length to hit two par 4s in regulation and had to hit a driver to reach the par-3 16th. He was too embarrassed to pull out the driver the first three days. Then Randy Smith, his teacher, told to hit the driver in the final round. He did, and he birdied the hole!
I had one friend that had been approached by “some kid” to putt for a dollar on the putting green. He accepted several times and always lost to Scottie. Finally, one day Scottie approached him for the last time because the man reached into his pocket, gave him a dollar, and told him to “Go away!”
When Scottie was about 8 years old, he was watching Ben Voigt, the son of ROCC member Frank Voight, hit balls on the range. Ben was trying to hit a pole on the range to make that big “PING” sound. After 15 or 20 minutes, Scottie asked Ben what he was trying to do. Ben replied that he was trying to hit a pole. Scottie grabbed a club and hit the pole on the third try. Then he put the club back and jumped back up on the bag stand with his feet dangling.