Scottie Scheffler: A new father and devout believer now holds golf's spotlight.
The remarkable events that took place at Kentucky's Valhalla Golf Club, where the world's top-ranked golfer was apprehended, took on an even more astonishing aspect considering his background.
This is a golfer, a new father, who has been ruling his sport with subtle dominance.
A deeply religious man, he once stated that he played the sport to "glorify God." The 27-year-old is the odds-on favourite to win this weekend's PGA Championship, and it's been a long time since Tiger Woods was this superior on the course.
"My score isn't my identity"
Born in Ridgewood, New Jersey, but hailing from Dallas since the age of 6, Scheffler made his mark on the golf world by winning a slew of junior championships. In 2014, at just 17, as an amateur, he recorded a hole-in-one and made the cut at his first PGA Tour event.
Four years later, Scheffler turned professional, and by 2020, he was named Rookie of the Year on the PGA Tour. He also made an impressive Ryder Cup debut the following season.
Skirting without a PGA Tour victory heading into 2022, Scheffler had amassed four victories within the first four months of that year, claimed the world No. 1 ranking, and secured his first major championship thanks to a dominant performance at The Masters.
Scheffler glided to triumph at Augusta National, in stark contrast to his jitters before the final round. "Overwhelmed," the University of Texas alumnus had "cried like a baby" that morning, he later revealed.
A conversation with his wife, Meredith, helped settle the golfer, he said. The high-school sweethearts wed in 2020, and Scheffler acknowledged his Christian faith and his wife's support following his historic win.
"The reason why I play golf is I'm trying to glorify God and all that He's done in my life," Scheffler, who met his current caddie Ted Scott during a Bible study, shared with reporters. "So for me, my identity isn't a golf score," he added.
"I lead two completely different lives"
Scheffler was subsequently honoured as the PGA Tour Player of the Year in 2022, a title he retained following a phenomenal 2023 campaign that yielded another two wins.
This included a win at The Players Championship, often referred to as "the fifth major." Scheffler's 88-year-old grandmother Mary accompanied him on every hole of the event, gaining internet acclaim in the process.
"Grandma and I aren't fanatics of social media, so we only found out recently that she went viral, whatever that means," Scheffler informed CNN Sport's Don Riddell earlier this year.
In his post-victory news conference, Scheffler divulged his plans to visit his grandmother's nearby residence to partake in dessert. It further solidified the world No. 1's image as the self-effacing star of the PGA Tour, a role he doesn't mind taking on.
Scheffler's prolific early career has catapulted him to eighth on the all-time list of career earnings on the PGA Tour, just midway through his fifth year on the circuit.
Despite his $61 million in earnings, he still drives the same Chevrolet Suburban that his father bought for him in college, with some 175,000 miles on it.
Asked by Riddell about his most extravagant purchase, Scheffler settled on his home in Dallas.
"I wouldn't describe my house as lavish, but it's definitely our most expensive purchase," he acknowledged. "I feel like I lead two distinct lives. I have my life when I'm on the road, playing golf in public and engaging in interviews. But when I'm at home, golf is not nearly as prominent. It's not like I'm the quarterback for the [Dallas] Cowboys or anything like that. [dfn]Dallas Cowboys[/dfn] So living our life at home is pretty easy for us. Not too much has actually changed on the home front. But on this side, absolutely, things have changed drastically."
2023 season was somewhat bittersweet, though, as Scheffler almost added a major title again but missed out, then endured a sombre defeat with Team USA at the Ryder Cup, suffering a crushing defeat in a match that left him in tears.
"My family always comes first"
However, those scenes in Rome were a world away from Scheffler's 2024 start.
He's won four times in his last five tournaments, including a commanding victory at The Arnold Palmer Invitational and a historic first-ever successful defence of The Players a week later. The cherry on top was another Masters title last month.
Scheffler vowed to abandon the tournament if his wife went into labour, but he didn't receive the call, paving the way for another green jacket.
It's been a rollercoaster ride for Scheffler, but as he heads into 2024's major championships, he seems to be peaking at the right time. His recent form is impressive, but it's his humility and faith that set him apart.
"Family always comes first," he once said. "That's how I was raised, and that's how I live my life."
"This morning, my friends told me that my victory on the cross was guaranteed," Scheffler said after claiming his most recent victory at the RBC Heritage. "I believe that the plans for today were established many years ago and there was nothing I could do to disrupt these plans. God has bestowed upon me this special talent, and I utilize it for His glory. That's about it."
The couple became parents to their first child, Bennett, last week, but not before Scheffler secured his tenth PGA Tour win, making him the first golfer since Woods in 2006 to triumph at a PGA Tour event a week after winning a major.
To put his dominance in perspective, the gap between Scheffler's ranking points (629.6) and that of his closest contender, Rory McIlroy (344.4), was larger than the difference between McIlroy and retired golfer Woods (4.64), who had made only five competitive appearances since the beginning of 2023.
Despite his recent shift to parenthood, Scheffler had no worries about being adequately prepared for his pursuit of a second consecutive major at the PGA Championship this week, as he cherished taking a break from the greens.
"Spending time at home with the girl I dated in high school and our newborn baby, and the green jacket hanging in the closet is an incredibly surreal sensation," he remarked prior to the tournament. "I wanted to express as much gratitude as possible."
A certain degree of disruption was expected at Valhalla, as caddie Scott was scheduled to leave Louisville to attend his daughter's high school graduation during Saturday's third round.
As the overwhelming tournament favorite, it would have come as no surprise to see Scheffler in the spotlight at Valhalla. However, no one anticipated the developments that led him there.
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He dedicated his most recent win at the RBC Heritage to his newborn son, Bennett.
Despite his busy golf schedule, Scottie Scheffler cherishes spending time at home with his wife and their new baby.
Source: edition.cnn.com
