MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 5, 2022

Scottie Scheffler

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We're pleased to have the World No. 1 golfer here, Scottie Scheffler. Scottie, first time in the interview room, and welcome back to Augusta.

Scottie, you've had a tremendous year. Three tournaments out of the last six in the last two months. What else do you have for us? Tell us about how has the last two months been for you.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: The last two months have been pretty good. I've been playing some good golf. Definitely not going to take it for granted and hoping to keep it rolling this week. My game feels like it's in a pretty good spot. Definitely looking forward to the challenge of playing this golf course this week.

Q. When did you arrive at Augusta this week?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: We came in a little earlier than I usually would. I didn't play last week, which I usually play the week before, but I was a little tired after Austin, so we came in on Sunday.

Q. Scottie, how has Ted Scott helped you prepare for this week but also this season? What kind of influence has he been since he's been on your bag?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I think he's been doing a pretty good job recently. He works really hard, and I have a lot of respect for that. He does a good job on the golf course as well. We do a good job of managing our way around the course. He keeps things loose and calm, and we've been doing a good job together.

Q. Scottie, what advice have you ever gotten about playing this golf course, and who would it have been from? Like your best piece of advice.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I've gotten a decent bit of advice, but I've also had a lot of good experience around this golf course. I think I learn a lot by watching guys play and watching them practice and hit shots.

I've been fortunate. I played the first two rounds last year with Phil, and then in 2019 I got paired with Tiger on Sunday. So I got some pretty good experience just watching them kind of manage their way around the golf course and how they play shots and certain stuff like that. So I've had some really good experience just being able to watch those guys around this place.

Q. It seems like, maybe to you it doesn't, which is why I ask, it's like three different Masters for you in three different years. You had the fall version of it, I think your first time here, and then last year there were limited patrons. Obviously this year, full, everything's, quote, back to normal. Does it almost feel like everything is new yet again when you come back here?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: A little bit. I think this place changes a little bit every year. November was quite a different Masters. The golf course was significantly different than it was in April. This year the greens have been crazy firm preparing for the weather we're having today. The golf course is in great shape.

The practice rounds today were definitely a bit different. Yesterday and today were a lot different than they have been in the past for me with all the patrons out there, which is a lot of fun.

It's definitely a little bit different, but it's still a golf tournament. Like I said, I've had some good experience around here, and I'm looking forward to this week.

Q. You said that you don't feel different being No. 1 in the world, but I'm curious whether it's having to come in here or guys looking at you at the range. Do you feel like people are treating you differently?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Outside of the guys saying congrats, I wouldn't say too much. My friends are still making fun of me. I've still got to do my chores at home, and nothing really changes.

It's been really cool to see the guys come up and say congrats and be genuinely happy for me. I think the environment out here on TOUR is pretty cool when it comes to that kind of stuff. Just the guys being supportive and having my back, that's really cool to see because everyone wants to come out here and win golf tournaments. We have a lot of class acts out here that are really gracious in defeat and in victory. So it's a pretty cool environment out here.

Q. When you're walking around home, are you getting recognized more?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Not really. I didn't really venture out too much last week, so I don't really know. I kind of laid low and just got some rest and did my usual practice.

Q. When somebody almost gets a hole-in-one, there's two ways to look at it. They can either be frustrated that they didn't hole it out or be happy that they hit such a good shot. Using that kind of perspective on your recent success, is this something that you look at and say, given your past success, "What took so long? I should play this way," because championship golfers usually have to have a positive mindset. Or is it the other perspective?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I would say I try to approach everything with a positive mindset. So I wouldn't look at my first couple years out here as a failure. I feel like I was constantly learning. I've learned a lot out here in my career. Having some recent success doesn't place any more expectations on myself for this week. I go into golf tournaments feeling free because I feel like I've done everything I could to play well, and if I don't play well, that's just how it goes.

But I feel like I've done the proper preparation. I've rested enough. I've worked on the things I'm supposed to work on, and I feel like my game's in a good spot. So I'm going to approach this week just like I would any other week. I'm going to try to do my best, execute shots, and just play golf.

However I play isn't really up to me. I'm going to approach it the way I approach things and just let the results be the results.

Q. Sam was just in here. He warmed up the seat for you.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Sam who? (Laughter.)

Q. He wanted to us to ask you how your matches have gone this week. Then I wanted to ask what board games have you been playing the last couple nights and card games and how is that going?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: So I'm not going to talk about the golf because that didn't go as well for me, but I destroyed them in board games last night, which was fun. What did we play? Sequence last night. And Sam's trainer probably talks more smack than I do, and he was just all over him last night as my partner, so we got after him pretty good and had some fun.

Q. My kids love Sequence too, so good job for that. After you win in Austin, you said, "I never really got that far in my dreams," when asked about reaching No. 1 in the world. What does that mean versus what winning a major would mean? Do golfers sit around and think about I want to be No. 1 or think about I want the green jacket or the Claret Jug or that kind of stuff?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I think you prepare yourself to win golf tournaments. I never looked at a world ranking other than you reach the milestone and get into the top 50 and you get automatically into golf tournaments like this. You play and practice and prepare to compete against the best guys in the world, and I have the most fun when I'm in contention.

So when I'm at home preparing, I'm preparing to be in contention and play good golf. So for me, the rankings was never really something I ever looked at. I kind of made a slow rise. I made it into the top 50. I think one of the only times I looked at it, I was playing Riviera maybe my rookie year, and the World Golf Championships was the next week. I think it was me and Collin Morikawa were on the cusp of getting in or not getting in. There were a couple other guys around there, maybe Ian Poulter or somebody.

That was the only time I looked at the rankings and really studied what I needed to do, and I didn't play that good of golf. So for me, looking at the rankings and focusing on that stuff doesn't provide any benefit for me. I look forward to preparing and playing good golf and executing shots and being in contention. That's what's fun.

Q. Scottie, taking a step back to your junior game for a moment. I was thinking of Matthew Wolff yesterday about there are nine former participants in the Sage Valley Junior Invitational in this field. Have you had a chance to talk with any of those guys about it? What's it like to kind of grow on TOUR along with those guys?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I think it's been pretty cool having all the young guys have success out here, and seeing guys like Sam Burns and Collin Morikawa and Viktor and Matt and all these guys have success I think definitely gave us a bit more confidence, just like Jordan had when I was in college.

When you get to see those guys that you've been playing with and competing against for years come out here and have success, that's kind of a boost for you, like I can do that too. So the guys have done a really good job of kind of paving the way for us. It's definitely nice to have some friends out here. We're having a good time.

Q. Does Tiger trying to make another comeback this week and getting so much of the attention affect you in any way? Maybe it allows you to fly under the radar a little bit and not have any extra pressure as the new No. 1?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I would say Tiger takes a lot of attention away from all of us, which I think is a good thing for us. He's used to being in the spotlight. Tiger is the needle for professional golf. We're all excited and hoping he's going to be able to play this week. I think he said it was maybe still a little bit of a decision he has to make, but it seems like he's for sure going to play. So that's exciting for us, and we're glad to see him back.

He's done so much for professional golf. The TOUR looks a lot different than it did in 1996 before he came out, so we're all very grateful and we're hopeful to have him back.

Q. Scottie, what do you remember about being caught in that whirlwind Sunday in 2019 with Tiger, and were there one or two shots that stand out that maybe he hit or you hit?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: So in 2019 I was actually playing on the Korn Ferry Tour, so I was able to watch a little bit on TV. I've gone back, and I've watched the coverage of that round, and I've watched the Masters highlights on Golf Channel a few times as well.

So just watching the way he managed himself around that golf course, maybe not even having his best stuff. He made some mistakes early in the round and didn't play perfect, but he as always hit the right shots at the right time and was able to pull through in that one. It was pretty special to watch.

Q. I've been asked a lot of questions, what are you like? I am asked what you are like, and I try to give as clever an explanation as I can, but I have no idea what you're like other than being a very, very good golfer. Could you describe what you're like when you're not a golfer?

THE MODERATOR: Do you understand the question?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Somewhat (Laughter). I think I know. I mean, that's a good question. You'd have to ask my wife. She'd probably give you the best explanation. I like hanging out. I keep a pretty low profile. Board games are some of my favorite things to do. Last week my wife and I played them a lot, and we're doing that again this week. I just kind of like hanging out.

Q. Scottie, would you say that the Ryder Cup was the first time that you felt that you belonged to the world's elite golfing group? And did the world No. 1 come sooner than you expected?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I would say that I always believed in myself, and I believed I could perform on this stage. My dream, like I said, was always just to play on the PGA TOUR. I felt like, if I could make it out here, I would learn how to compete.

So for me, my first few years out here, I was learning so much. And the Ryder Cup was such a great experience. I'm so grateful to be part of that team. It's always different feeling what that pressure's like in person. You believe in yourself and you prepare for that moment and you hope for the best, but then when you're actually in that environment, you're able to perform well, and you feel those nerves.

When I go home and I practice and prepare, I'm preparing knowing exactly what it feels like to be on kind of the biggest stage in golf with cameras and whatnot on you. It's a lot different when you're actually preparing knowing what it feels like for you because you can hear somebody describe it, and Tiger can talk about being in the moment, but you don't really know what it feels like for you until you actually do it.

So having that Ryder Cup experience has been great for me just knowing how to prepare for being in these moments.

Q. Would you say the World No. 1 came sooner than you expected?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I'm not really sure. I didn't really -- like I said, I don't place too many expectations on myself. I don't really look too far into the future. I'm extremely competitive. So for me, staying present is usually what's best. If I'm looking towards the future, I'm almost thinking that -- it's like let's say I wanted to have a career goal of winning four majors. It would be like right now I feel like I'm going to play out here the rest of my life.

So for me, it's like I'm going to look too far ahead, I'm not going to be preparing as hard as I can. And if I'm staying in the moment, I'm not taking things for granted and playing in the Masters like it's my last. I'm probably going to play a little harder than thinking, it's all right, hit a few bad shots here, I can get it next year.

For me it's best to probably stay in the moment because I don't know how long I'm going to be able to play golf out here.

Q. Kind of a similar question to what are you like, but in the age of the PIP, the TOUR seems to be incentivizing guys to share a lot and grow their brands. Do you feel a responsibility or a desire to grow your brand?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I wouldn't say I feel a desire. I think letting people in is not necessarily a bad thing. For me, I like to be pretty private. I like to be able to live a normal life, and so when I'm at home, my wife and I live a very normal life. We don't do a whole lot of crazy stuff.

I think I do feel a touch of a responsibility if I do have some fans or people that want to see me have success, to let them in. So I've gotten a little bit more involved in the social media kind of stuff. But for me, that kind of stuff, it just doesn't come naturally. I never really look at social media much. I don't really do too much to grow my brand.

I just love being out here and I love competing. So for me, that's where I get the most joy is just coming out here and playing golf.

Q. Scottie, can you talk about your junior golf and also your college golf career? It seems like those are so sophisticated these days? It's almost like the AAA of golf, so to speak, particularly in terms of college golf? How do they prepare you to be a champion?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I was very fortunate to play a lot of great golf courses when I was either a junior or in college. In college especially, we played a really good schedule. We played against the best teams and the best players. And so in college I learned so much just because I was around so many guys that were so talented.

I think the game has definitely advanced in a sense to where we have more tools at a young age than the guys did 20 years ago. And they can be used to your advantage, but they can also be a detriment.

So I'm trying my best to stay natural and keep everything more natural versus looking at tons of numbers on TrackMan and stuff like that. I think that technology can be a good thing for us to use, but you've got to know what you like.

Q. Just further to the question from my right here about what sort of a guy you are, we asked that of Sam Burns earlier, and he said very affectionately that he called you a laid-back goofy guy. Do you think that's an accurate description? Could you explain what is going on?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I guess so. I like to laugh. We have some fun. I think it's important to not take yourself too seriously, so maybe a little bit goofy. Sam is the same way. We have a good time together. Our wives are good friends.

Trying to describe yourself is pretty difficult. That's probably the hardest thing I've gotten.

Q. Does goofy to you mean laughing at yourself, having fun at your own expense sometimes?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, for sure. That's why I like joking around about Sam's been whooping me in our two practice rounds. We went out today, and we were playing, I think, against Xander and Patrick, and I was like, man, this is going to be awesome. I don't have to do anything today. Sam is going to carry me. This is going to be great.

I think it's important to be able to laugh at yourself because you're going to have a lot of hard days out here on TOUR, and golf's going to get really hard. We lose a lot more than we win, so being able to not take yourself too seriously is pretty important because we experience failure on a weekly basis out here. I've won, what, three out of the last five --

THE MODERATOR: Three out of the last six.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Three out of the last six, and it seems that's about as good as you can get right now, and that's only half the time winning. So you can't take yourself too seriously.

Q. You've been on this great run with Ted Scott the last few months here. How would you describe his style as a caddie and how it complements your game?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Teddy is definitely someone who doesn't take himself too seriously either. I don't know how much time you spend around Ted, but he's a pretty goofy guy, and we have a lot of fun together. He tells a lot of good jokes. Not everybody may think they're funny, but his dad jokes are pretty good, and we get a good chuckle out of them.

Like I said, he keeps things loose. We have a lot of fun together. I respect him a lot as a person, and I respect his work ethic as a caddie. And so for me it's been a pretty easy relationship so far, just because I respect him so much.

Q. You've had two good finishes here, maybe not really contending like you want to. You've got the experience here. Not because you're World No. 1, but do you think this is your time? I've been around here. I know what it's like. I know what to expect. Maybe this is your time to contend?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I'm approaching this week definitely hopeful that I can contend, but that starts with having a good round on Thursday. For me, I'm just trying to prepare, make sure I'm properly rested. Like I said, my game feels like it's in a pretty good spot, but I'm just going to go through my usual preparation and approach the weeks just like I always have.

Q. Scottie, what kind of challenge does walking this course for four days present that maybe you don't see at the other TOUR stops?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I think just playing major championship golf, especially around a golf course like this, where you have to be so focused for all the holes, you can score well in some spots out here, and if you're playing poorly, you're going to get yourself in trouble really quickly. So the level of focus, especially around this golf course, is so high and you have to be on for so long that it's definitely different than approaching a regular PGA TOUR event.

There's definitely more stress with all the people being around and with the emphasis that's placed on this tournament because it's the Masters. So the week is definitely -- it's a long week.

Q. I'm sorry. I think I meant more physically, literally just walking the course, and obviously there's elevation changes here that you guys don't see a lot. Tiger was asked a lot about the challenge of walking this course. Is this course, from that perspective, for a guy who's significantly younger than Tiger, just even different? Do you feel differently on a Monday after playing here as you would have playing in Austin?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Maybe a little bit. I think worked pretty hard in the gym to kind of build up endurance to where I can play a significant amount of weeks and then handle the walks around this golf course. I think most of the stress that we have is probably more mental than physical. Maybe that's just because I'm a bit younger, but I'm not really sure. This definitely wouldn't go down as an easy golf course to walk, but you know, it's tough.

Q. Do the changes at No. 11 and No. 15 with the tee box going back on 15 especially, second shot's going to be a little longer, do you think that's going to change the philosophy of the golfers in this tournament? Strategies?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I would say for sure. 15, with it being -- is it 20, 30 yards back? That's a big difference. Before if I hit a good drive, maybe I remember having maybe a 5-iron in a couple times and now if I hit a good drive, it's going to be a 3. So definitely going to have to be a lot less aggressive.

I don't think the strategy changes much for me. No. 11 is a little different story. That tee box is a lot wider now, but now you have kind of a bailout zone. I went out and hit a couple of shots, and it's not really a bailout zone. It's really tough around those trees.

I think the changes on that hole are really fun. You get rewarded for a really good drive. If you hit a poor shot off the tee, you bail out, you still have a shot. You can hit a great shot and still have a chance for a 3 like that.

There's a lot of strategy on that hole. You're going to see some really cool shots, and you're going to see some poor ones as well.