Scottie Scheffler: Two-time Masters champion plays down generational talent talk after Augusta National win

Posted by Admin April 15, 2024 Sports

Scottie Scheffler played down talk of being golf’s next generational talent after clinching his second Masters triumph at Augusta National on Sunday.

The 27-year-old underlined his status as the top player in the world with victory in the first major of the year on Sunday, triumphing by four shots over the rest of the field headed by Swedish sensation Ludvig Åberg.

Scheffler’s recent performances have drawn comparisons with Tiger Woods in his prime, but he insists he lets others worry about where he ranks and is only concerned about enjoying life on and of the golf course.

“I don’t really think about that kind of stuff, I’m just me, I’m not trying to be anybody else or do anything crazy,” Scheffler told Sky Sports News. “I’m just trying to be the best I can be and that’s all I’m focused on.

“I’ll let you all decide that stuff at the end of my career, but at the end of the day I’m just trying to come out here and compete, have fun and go live the rest of my life outside the course.

“Days like today, it’s really fun to be in my shoes. Other days, not so fun. I think we all go through the ups and downs of life and golf is a really challenging sport, so I’m trying to get better at soaking in the good times when they’re here.

“I’m looking forward to getting home and celebrating this win with my wife, my friends and family, and then getting back to work next week.”

Scheffler, who claimed his first Masters success two years ago, returned to Augusta National last week having claimed both the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship, becoming the first player to win golf’s unofficial ‘fifth major’ two years running, and tied for second in the Texas Children’s Houston Open on his three previous starts.

The world No 1, a position he has held in the Official World Golf Ranking for more than 80 weeks in his career, did not believe that gave him an advantage over the rest of the field but was happy to live up to expectations with his win.

“It definitely brings its own pressure,” Scheffler said. “The questions in the media are a bit different, but when we all step out on the first tee, we all start as even par.

“I didn’t get a head start just because I’d been playing good the last few weeks.

“I think there is an extra bit of satisfaction in being able to come here and perform when the expectations placed on me from outside were so high and I was able to put those to the side and have a nice week.”

Scheffler admitted after his 2022 success in The Masters that he was not sure if he was ready to be a major champion, although it was a much different feeling for him as he stepped out onto the tee for his final round this year.

It was more anxiety about wanting to make sure he closed the job about which was facing him this time, with some wise words from close friends helping put Scheffler in the right frame of mind to clinch the green jacket for a second time.

“Two years ago, I wasn’t sure if I was ready for where our life was going,” Scheffler said. “Things were happening so fast at that time.

“To start that year, I hadn’t won on tour and all of a sudden, I was No 1 in the world trying to win my first major with a three-shot lead – and it’s The Masters, it’s not just any tournament. That was a lot of those feelings: Were we ready for that type of life change?

“This time around I was more anxious because I just wanted to win so badly. In the morning, I was sat around telling my buddies ‘I wish I didn’t want to win as badly as I did because it might make the mornings a little bit easier’.

“But they spoke some truth into me and got out here and tried to get as settled down as possible.”

Watch every men’s and women’s major live on Sky Sports Golf in 2024 or stream with NOW.

The first women’s major of the year, The Chevron Championship, is live from 3pm this Thursday, with the next men’s major, the PGA Championship at Valhalla in Kentucky, taking place from May 16-19.