A hundred bad days make a hundred good stories—and Scottie Scheffler might just be in his ‘story-building’ era. Sure, the Houston Open didn’t end with him hoisting a trophy, but if you ask him, there’s a lot to be excited about heading into Augusta National. And that might be the most dangerous thing for his competition.
For most of Sunday, it looked like Scheffler had it under control. He carded a solid 67 and did just about everything right down the stretch. Yet, Min Woo Lee’s late charge stole the win. Tough break? Maybe. But when Scheffler talked about his round afterward, it wasn’t disappointment that stood out—it was optimism.
“I liked the way my swing started to feel over the weekend,” Scheffler shared. “Yeah, definitely feel better. I feel like I can still clean up a few things in my swing. You know, my ball-striking wasn’t as sharp as I would have liked for it to have been this week, but overall I mean, yesterday and today I felt like we’re improving in the ball-striking.”
Continuing on the same, he further added, “Yesterday the score I don’t think showed it, but today the way I struck it, especially down the stretch when I really needed to, hit some really nice shots. Good iron shot into 15, good iron shot into 16, good one into 17. I did some things that I really liked under the gun. Good pitch shot on 18 as well to still give myself a chance. Did some things that I’ll reflect on that were good and did some things that I can sharpen up a little bit.”
That’s the kind of mindset that separates the greats from the rest of the field. Scheffler isn’t dwelling on what didn’t go his way, he’s picking out what worked and taking it forward. And with the Masters coming up, that’s exactly what he needs. Moreover, Scheffler knows Augusta demands precision and confidence, and he feels both aspects of his game are coming together at the right time. “I liked the way my swing started to feel over the weekend. I felt like I holed a good amount of putts this week, especially under pressure on the back nine today. Felt like I hit my lines really well and did some good things out there. So definitely some positive momentum going into next week.”
In golf, momentum is everything. Although he hasn’t won yet this season, three top-10s and six top-25 finishes prove he’s knocking on the door. He doesn’t need to change anything—just trust the process. And he knows that pretty well. “I’ll just go home and practice like I normally would, just stick to my routine. Get some good days of practice in with Randy, have a couple play days as well, get out on the course, and see how things feel. We’ll head over to Augusta on Sunday.”
That’s not a guy scrambling for answers. That’s someone who knows he’s right there. Maybe the frustration creeps in sometimes, but it’s not throwing him off; rather, it’s fueling him. And if history tells us anything, a locked-in Scottie Scheffler is a dangerous one.
Scottie Scheffler is finding positives amidst frustration
Scheffler knows he’s playing great golf. The stats show it, the leaderboard shows it, and honestly, even he knows it. But sometimes, when you’ve set the bar as high as he has, anything short of a win starts to feel like a letdown. And that frustration? It’s starting to show.
Golf analyst Charley Hulme pointed it out on The Smylie Kauffman Show, saying there’s been a shift in Scheffler’s on-course attitude this year. The stat that stood out? His Strokes Gained Attitude—basically, how well he’s handling the ups and downs—was noticeably down. “Where the little things were kind of bothering him… nothing really seemed to bother him quite as much [last year]. Clearly, he’s getting more frustrated this year.”
Paris 2024 Olympics – Golf – Men’s Round 1 – Le Golf National, Guyancourt, France – August 01, 2024. Scottie Scheffler of the U.S. in action. REUTERS/Matthew Childs
And honestly, can you blame him? When you win eight times in a season, expectations go through the roof—not just from fans and analysts, but from yourself. Anything less than dominance starts to feel like underperforming. Hulme suggested that might be what’s weighing on him now. “Expectations [being] a little bit too high,” Hulme said. “He just won eight times the prior year, so I get that. But also, you kind of look for a little bit more… maturity is the right word, but just the sense of like, ‘Hey, been there, I’m the top player in the world, this is how I should play and handle myself.’”
That’s the real test for Scheffler right now—not just fine-tuning his swing, but keeping his mindset in check. The talent is there. The consistency is there. And let’s be real—the wins will come. However, the key is learning how to ride out the tough stretches without letting frustration creep in.
And if he locks that in just in time for Augusta? Good luck to the rest of the field.
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