The US has the No. 1 participant on the earth on its facet on the Ryder Cup, however Scottie Scheffler would slightly view himself as one other member of the crew.
The ever-humble Scheffler disregarded a comparability to Tiger Woods and any ideas of the exterior expectations on his shoulders because the U.S. prepares to wrest the Ryder Cup again from Workforce Europe this week at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y.
Assembly with reporters Tuesday morning, Scheffler was requested whether it is proper for followers’ expectations of him to be totally different than any of his teammates.
“I imply, I don’t actually take into consideration that type of stuff. If that’s one thing you need to write about, then extra energy to you,” Scheffler mentioned. “I don’t take into consideration expectations. I don’t trouble with that type of stuff as a result of it’s unimportant to me.
“What I give attention to after I present as much as tournaments is my preparation, and I’ve ready for this match; I’m able to exit and compete.”
“I really don’t take into consideration expectations or something like that. That’s wasted area in my mind.”
Among the many preparations Scheffler took on was an additional match two weeks in the past, the Procore Championship in Napa, California. Most of his Ryder Cup teammates additionally performed, making for a a lot stronger than standard area within the PGA Tour’s fall season. Scheffler caught teammate Ben Griffin on Sunday and gained by a stroke.
Scheffler and different gamers had expressed remorse that they spent a lot day without work from aggressive golf in 2023 earlier than heading to Rome, the place Workforce Europe gained by 5 factors. When captain Keegan Bradley requested the crew to enter the Procore as a tune-up, it was a straightforward promote.
However Scheffler mentioned Tuesday that the expertise of shedding in Rome is much less of a “motivation” for him this week versus a studying expertise.
“I believe you possibly can all the time be taught from these experiences,” Scheffler mentioned, “and I believe that might be one of the best ways that I might describe it, is how a lot I realized from the expertise in Rome, how a lot I realized from the expertise at Whistling Straits, and I really feel like I’ve a big financial institution of data over the course of my profession that I can use to my benefit, particularly when issues get powerful.
“I don’t assume it may be understated how tough of every week Rome was for us. I believe we might have achieved higher for certain. That wasn’t how I anticipated the week to go. I believe we realized from it, and we’re as ready as ever this time.”
Scheffler went 2-0-1 in his Ryder Cup debut at Whistling Straits in 2021, defeating Spain’s Jon Rahm earlier than he had even gained a PGA Tour occasion. However he posted a 0-2-2 report in 2023, with Sam Burns and Brooks Koepka as his companions throughout foursomes and fourball.
He was requested on Tuesday whether or not it’s tough for Bradley to search out the appropriate pairing for Scheffler as a result of he has been so dominant on tour and the participant the opposite People look as much as, within the vein of Woods in his prime.
“I believe on our crew, I believe now we have 12 guys which are all equal,” Scheffler mentioned. “I don’t assume one participant is extra necessary than one other.
“I’d wish to assume that I’m not tough to pair with folks. I’d like to think about myself as somebody who’s a pleasant man and simple to get together with. I’ve had totally different companions over time and have had some success. I’d positively not put myself in that class.”
Addressing the Woods comparability, Scheffler added, “It might simply be the aura that was Tiger Woods. There have been some occasions when he was doing nothing however successful golf tournaments and simply beating absolutely the crap out of individuals time and time once more.”
A reporter requested if he doesn’t assume there’s an aura of being Scottie Scheffler. The Texan laughed.
“Probably not,” he mentioned. “I don’t have a lot to elaborate on that.”
Printed on Sep 23, 2025