World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is making his fifth Masters Tournament start this week. He won a Green Jacket in 2022 and is the odds-on favorite for this year’s tournament.
It’s the first major championship of the year, and Scheffler already has two victories in 2024. He took home back-to-back wins at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship.
Ahead of The Masters, the former Texas Longhorn was asked for his approach to the first tee at Augusta National. His answer is sure to make Sunday golfers feel inspired.
“I just remind myself: I’ve done the work. I’ve done everything I could,” Scheffler said. “I’ve checked all the boxes. And I’ve done everything to where I can go out here and play well. So I can compete freely, knowing I’ve done what I’m supposed to do in my preparation.”
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Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images
If a player has put in the time, then there has to be a sense of self-trust that comes with it. Scheffler carries that mindset into his tournaments.
“I’m just trying to soak in the competition. Go out there, have fun — be committed to my shots. And I’m focused mostly on my mental attitude,” he said. “I’m not looking at results. I’m just trying to focus as much of my process as I can.”
That is an element of the game that everyday players struggle with. They will not commit, they will second guess and do not prepare properly. Yet, most players play the same course time and again.
Despite having eight career PGA Tour wins, the 27-year-old wanted to remind golfers that he is still human.
Those first tee jitters come with all players, and it doesn’t seem to go away with success.
“There’s definitely nervousness — excitement, anxiousness,” Scheffler said. “All those things go through you when you’re out there competing. It’s just about how you use those feelings and emotions to enhance your focus, and that’s pretty much it.”
Scheffler is not a cutthroat type player on the golf course — his competitive edge comes across differently. He is humble and a student of the game. It appears that the two-time Players champion can compete without losing who he is.
Offering this kind of insight to average golfers who don’t compete every week can still be beneficial. Compartmentalizing and having a process can be good even when the round of golf is for fun.
Scheffler beautifully summed that up as he prepares for the 88th Masters Tournament.
Scheffler will play alongside Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele for the first two rounds of the Masters. They tee off at 10:42 a.m. ET on Thursday and 1:48 p.m. ET on Friday.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
