JEALOUSY: Scottie Scheffler brutally responds to McIlroy, Rahm and DeChambeau comments about him
For many, Scottie Scheffler is playing the best golf by a pro since the days of Tiger Woods – and his rivals have heaped praise on the world No. 1 ahead of the U.S. Open
Scottie Scheffler insisted compliments from his rivals do not go unappreciated after Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm praised the world No. 1 on the eve of the U.S. Open.
Scheffler has been on a tear since March. The two-time major champion has tallied five victories – the Arnold Palmer Invitational, The Players Championship, The Masters, the RBC Heritage, and the Memorial – in his last eight tournaments, including a tie for eighth at his dramatic PGA Championship.
McIlroy even joked the only way to stop Scheffler was to take him to a cell for an hour, referencing the American’s wild arrest at Valhalla. But the 27-year-old is grateful to hear the kind words before taking on his challengers at Pinehurst No. 2 this week.
“It’s nice to hear a little bit of good things from my peers because I think we all try to bust each other up at times when we’re out there playing and competing,” Scheffler said. “I think that’s part of the friendship bond, is you want to mess with your buddies, so to hear some compliments every now and then is definitely nice.
“I always look back on being selected for my first Ryder Cup team, of kind of having the vote of some of the guys. I wasn’t really a proven player out here yet. I hadn’t won on Tour. I got the vote of some of my peers to be on that team and was able to perform well. So that’s something that I always look back on and am very grateful for. I’m very grateful those guys wanted me on that team and I felt like it was a big moment in my career.
“So I’m very thankful to have a lot of the friendships that I have out here and it’s a joy to be out here playing with these guys and competing with them. It’s a lot of fun.”
On Tuesday, when asked what aspect of Scheffler’s game is most impressive to him on this remarkable run of form, McIlroy said: “The word that I describe it as is relentless. It seems like every time he shows up, he is the guy to beat, and deservedly so. This run that he’s been on, I think he’s played 14 times this year or 13 times this year, only once out of the top 10. Seems like he’s always in contention.
“The most exciting thing about last week at Memorial was when he made the triple on 9. Everyone was like, ‘Oh, looks like he might let people in here’ – but he finds a way to steady the ship, make a few birdies when he needs to. Undoubtedly the best player in the world at the minute by a long way. It’s up to us to try to get to his level.”
DeChambeau echoed similar sentiment. The former U.S. Open champion admitted he had asked Scheffler for some insight after arriving at Pinehurst.
“I saw him, and I was like, ‘Dude, you’re playing unbelievable. What are you doing, man?’ He’s like, ‘I’m just playing good golf, I don’t know. It’s one of those things,’” DeChambeau said. ‘But no, from my perspective, he’s got full control of his golf swing. He’s figured out a lot of his putting.
“He plays some incredibly strategic golf from what I can tell. He doesn’t go too crazy. He just hits the right shots at the right time. He’s really in control of the environment – not only his environment, but the conditions on the golf course. He knows what the golf ball is going to do. He knows how to react accordingly.
“When things go right, he’s able to right the ship pretty quickly. That’s a recipe for success, and he’s been able to do it longer than anyone has for a long time. Again, he is the gold standard right now, and we’re all looking up to him going, ‘All right, how do we get to that level?’”
Before withdrawing from the U.S. Open with a foot infection, Rahm paid tribute to Scheffler. Rahm, whose Masters win is sandwiched between the American’s own two triumphs at Augusta, believes the comparisons to Tiger Woods highlight just how well Scheffler is performing.
“It’s quite incredible to see what he’s been able to accomplish,” Rahm told reporters. “Every year or every so years, there’s been great ball strikers that come up. But when you start getting compared to Tiger and things that Tiger has done, that’s when you know you are in a level that is quite special. To win five times in a season… and winning the tournaments he’s winning – to win Bay Hill, PLAYERS, Masters, RBC and then Memorial, you’re basically replicating a Tiger Woods season. It’s fantastic to see. He’s been playing fantastic golf and doing what he needs to do.
“As a competitor, obviously it’s an added motivation to see somebody do so well because that’s what we all strive for. And as a golf fan, it’s just absolutely incredible to watch.”
Fans can follow Scheffler in his grouping alongside PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele and McIlroy when the trio tee off their U.S. Open campaigns on Thursday 13th June.
