Scottie Scheffler: Goals, Expectations Don’t Change After Masters Victory

Drained from his Masters victory, Scottie Scheffler barely left the house for a week once he returned home from Augusta National.

Every once in a while, he’d head into his closet and slip on the green jacket – to make all of this was real, sure, but also to see if he could get out of some household chores.

“When my wife asks me to do stuff at home,” he said, “sometimes I’ll grab it out of the closet and look at her like, Huh, really?

“It hasn’t worked yet.”

Scheffler was speaking Wednesday at the Zurich Classic, where he’ll team with Ryan Palmer and compete for the first time since his life and career changed at the Masters. Scheffler’s fourth victory in his last six starts stamped him as one of the next generation’s brightest talents and solidified his spot atop the world rankings.

What it didn’t do, however, was change his outlook, either in the short term or for future years.

“For me, I don’t look too far ahead,” he said. “I don’t pay attention to that kind of stuff. People kept asking me last week at the Masters, I think they kept saying three [wins] out of six, and I had to remember if it was three out of five, or four out of six – like, I couldn’t remember what it was. I just try to stay in the moment.

“For me, that’s fun for you guys to talk about. It’s nice to be on a good run. All I’m focused on is this week and getting ready to play with Ryan. Goals, expectations – nothing like that changes for me. I just like being out here playing golf.”

In the past week and a half, Scheffler said he received a particularly meaningful handwritten note from former President George W. Bush; and though he isn’t on social media, he was also alerted by his wife to social-media messages from former Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott.

His partner this week, Palmer has known Scheffler since he was in high school, and he hasn’t sensed a single change since the 25-year-old became a major champion.

Full-field tee times from Zurich Classic of New Orleans

“That’s what’s so unique about him is he’s just such a humble and down-to-earth guy,” Palmer said. “I’ve listened to plenty of interviews – he’ll never change. His upbringing has been so great. His family, I know them all, and they’re all great folks. That’s what so great about him is somebody will be thrown in that limelight so fast, and to do what he’s done, and then being home, it’s like nothing’s changed.”

That was apparent even in their Wednesday pro-am grouping with two area legends, former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees.

“Even seeing him this morning for the first time playing today, it’s the same guy I’ve cut up with for the last two years on Tour playing practice rounds, and that’s what is very unique,” Palmer said. “You don’t get that very often. It’s such an individual game, but he’s got such a great team around him and a lot of good friends around him as well as from back home.

“He’s the same guy, it seems like to me. Nothing’s changed from the outside. So it’s pretty remarkable to watch a guy like that do what he did, has been doing, and nothing’s changed. It says a lot.”