An appreciation for Scottie Scheffler’s quiet stardom

In other words, Scheffler is on the precipice of history every time he arrives at Augusta National. He’s a main draw in a wide-open tournament that lacks the star power of yesteryear.

Scheffler is the betting favorite this week, but that doesn’t accurately reflect public perception. He lacks the momentum and buzz that’s typically associated with the inspired pick.

It’d be exaggeration to say Scheffler is being viewed as just another guy as the Masters begins. But it also wouldn’t be totally off base.

Scheffler’s perceived vulnerability feels strange, but it’s explainable. After his rip-roaring start, he has consecutive finishes outside the top 20. He hasn’t finished top 10 since his fourth-place result in Pebble Beach on Feb. 12.

He’s looked shaky at times, shockingly topsy turvy considering the expectations. The standard is so great here that any hint of inconsistency is flabbergasting.

Off the course, Scheffler and his wife Meredith had their second son, Remy, on March 27. “Parental exhaustion” is among the many blessings associated with a newborn.

In some eyes, these circumstances make him a lesser candidate. But how could anyone dismiss the idea of Scheffler recapturing form – backed by additional dad power – to earn his third Masters win in five years?

“My game feels like it’s in a good spot,” Scheffler said Tuesday, noting he’s well rested in recent weeks since The Players Championship last month. “I’m getting plenty of sleep.”

Credit: TNS

Credit: TNS

Understand the rarity of Scheffler’s sustainability. After months of alternating the top spot with Jon Rahm, Scheffler has been the world’s No. 1 golfer for 151 straight weeks. It’s difficult to remember when he wasn’t atop the ranking.

Here, we’ll try, looking back to the landscape on May 20, 2023:

OK, so in real-life terms, it hasn’t been that long. Yet Scheffler’s run is the third-longest for any player, and the best for anyone besides Tiger Woods. He’s been golf’s Los Angeles Dodgers, just quite a bit more likable.

Part of the charm stems from his modesty. Scheffler doesn’t embrace his status as many would. He and his family prefer the low-key approach. He admitted Tuesday he didn’t even know how to use Instagram. There’s a case for Scheffler as America’s most subdued star athlete right now.

Scheffler has had various interviews, some even in the press-conference setting, that centered on his faith. He hasn’t been shy about sharing God’s influence on his life; how his myriad wins aren’t a means of true fulfillment, not in his macro family-and-faith-focused view.

He cites how his Christ-centered lifestyle led him to the pinnacle he’s reached and maintained. His faith is his guiding light that gives him perspective. It reminds him that golf, for all his brilliance in it, doesn’t define him.

That’s very much the case entering this fascinating week. Whatever awaits Scheffler on the course, he knows the same life awaits him off it.

“Sometimes I think it feels like we live almost two separate lives,” Scheffler said. “You have this life where you come out here and compete – sometimes my friends are brought into that arena that I live in out here. There’s a few tournaments that my friends come to each year, this being one of them. They rode down Magnolia Lane with me yesterday and today. It’s fun for them to be able to experience it with me.

“But then when you go home, I don’t feel any different than any of my other friends. I still feel like I go to work each day. It doesn’t feel like I’m sitting at a desk, obviously. I love my job. But I don’t feel any different than I did when I was a kid. So I don’t see why I’d need to live any different or anything like that.”