After a victorious weekend at The British Open, the PGA tour’s top golfer, Scottie Scheffler, says “faith” and “family” — above golf — are the most important aspects of his life.
At a press conference after winning the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush in the United Kingdom Sunday with a score of 17 under par, the 29-year-old American said, “my faith and my family is what’s most important to me,’ noting they are his “greatest priorities.”
“Those come first for me,” he said, after winning his fourth major golf championship. “Golf is third in that order.”
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“I try to live as normal of a life as possible because I feel like a normal guy,” he continued. “I have the same friends that I had growing up. I don’t think that I’m anything special just because some weeks I’m better at shooting a lower score than other guys are.”
Scheffler said he has “worked” since he was around 2 years old “to have a chance to play professional golf for a living.”
“Now, I’ve been able to win tournaments that I’ve just dreamed of playing in,” the golfer added. “It’s an amazing feeling and I’m so grateful to be able to live out my dreams.”
In an X post published Sunday, Nike shared two pictures of Scheffler wearing sneakers and a hat manufactured by the clothing company. The first picture showed Scheffler kneeling on the golf course with his young son, accompanied by text reading “You’ve already won.” The second picture featured Scheffler swinging a golf club accompanied by text reading “but another major never hurt” along with the Nike swoosh.
“Priorities unchanged. Another major secured. The wins keep coming on and off the course for Scottie Scheffler,” the X post stated.
The term “major” refers to major championships that the world’s best professional golfers compete in, one of which is The British Open, which concluded on Sunday.
After winning the 2024 Masters Tournament, Scheffler reflected on how his friends redirected his focus as he found himself wanting to “win badly.”
“My buddies told me this morning, my victory was secure on the cross,” he explained. “And that’s a pretty special feeling; to know that I’m secure forever, and it doesn’t matter if I win this tournament or lose this tournament. My identity is secure forever.”
Scheffler said, “Today’s plans were already laid out many years ago, and I could do nothing to mess up those plans.”
“I have been given a gift of this talent, and I use it for God’s glory,” he said.
“So when I’m out there, I try to compete to the best of my abilities. … I feel like that’s how I was designed. … At the end of the day, my identity’s secure already.”
Scheffler made similar comments after winning the Masters in 2022, stating that his purpose was “trying to glorify God and all He’s done in my life.” He brought up a message from his wife, Meredith, who assured him that “If you win this golf tournament today, if you lose this golf tournament by 10 shots, if you never win another golf tournament again,” “I’m still going to love you, you’re still going to be the same person, Jesus loves you and nothing changes.”
Scheffler said his wife, who he married at Park Cities Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas, in 2020, “always prays for peace” on the golf course and noted how he “really felt that today.”
“God is in control and that the Lord is leading me; and if today is my time, it’s my time,” Scheffler said.
“And if I shot 82 today, you know, somehow I was going to use it for His glory,” he added as he summarized the conversation with his wife.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
