WM PHOENIX OPEN

February 12, 2023

Scottie Scheffler

TPC Scottsdale

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome the 2022 and 2023 winner of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Scottie Scheffler. First, congratulations on becoming the seventh player to successfully defend the title here and first since Hideki did it in 2017. If I could take you back a year. This is where it all started as far as the victories go. Been an incredible year leading up to this point. So if we could just get a few comments on the year and being here and doing it all over again.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, shoot, a few comments on the year. I felt like I've been playing pretty solid. I talked a little bit at the beginning of the week about kind of being on the outside looking in going into Sundays and not really having a chance. So I was definitely excited going into today being in the final group.

As far as today went. It was a good fight out there. Jon played pretty good on the front nine. Then Nick played pretty fantastic the whole day. He was making a lot of putts. It was a good battle. It was a lot of fun. I was fortunate to come out on top this time. But definitely looking to going down the stretch with those guys more in the future.

THE MODERATOR: When you have a leaderboard stacked like it was, you had a lot of guys that weren't going away, what does that do you to you as far as your game, your emotions and your ability to rise above that kind of competition?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I knew going into today it was going to be a tough day. Jon's playing some of the best golf in the world right now. Nick's a fantastic player and a proven winner out here. There were some other names on the leaderboard like Jordan and Xander. There were a lot of guys up there. I knew it was going to take a great round. Nobody was going to give this golf tournament to me. I had to go out and earn it. I was definitely proud of the result.

THE MODERATOR: Last question from me then we'll open it up to questions. Back to No. 1 in the world. Congratulations on that. No. 5 until the FedExCup standings. What kind of momentum will this help you kind of moving forward?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, it's definitely good to get a first win of the year. I hadn't won since the Masters.

Given myself a decent chance a few times. So it's definitely a lot of fun to kind of get this one done. Especially in the fashion that I did it, with those guys both playing great golf. Me just kind of being able to extend myself there a little bit at the end and make some key putts was definitely a lot of fun.

THE MODERATOR: We'll take some questions.

Q. Rory said when he won in January in Dubai that he won without his absolute best stuff. You hit five fairways for the second day in a row and you won. Is that sort of the next level for you is being able to get it done without your absolute best?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I think today was probably pretty good example of that. I hit some wild shots off the tee that were pretty uncharacteristic for how I usually shape the ball. I was just able to grind it out, make a lot of putts. I think I only had two bogeys this week. Which is really, really around this golf course. So I'm proud of that with my short game and putting. Hoping to build on this going forward.

Q. On the 16th hole you have the 15-foot, you chipped it to 15 feet or so. What are you telling yourself before hitting that putt? Because, obviously, probably a lot of emotions. The crowd and everything swelling around. What are you actually telling yourself before getting into your routine?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I was just trying to hit a solid putt. In those situations that's really all you can do. So when I'm standing over that ball all I'm thinking about is the speed. I had my line and I was set up and I felt comfortable. After that just trying to hit a good putt.

It was a really fast one. So it took awhile to get there. But it was definitely fortunate to see it go in.

Q. When you see Nick playing well do other thoughts get into your head and what do you do to keep them at bay and keep focused on the task at hand?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I think when guys are playing as well as Nick was today, it really did put a lot of pressure on me and I responded very well. It almost kind of took my focus to the next level where I just did a really good job of managing my way around the golf course and making some really key shots down the stretch. Whether it be the par putt on 16, the eagle on 13, even the par on 11. I hit a lot of key shots today. Proud of how I fought around the golf course.

Q. You seem to have just this uncanny ability to grind it out after a poor swing or something doesn't go your way. Can you talk about how you developed that ability and what goes into it?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I'm not really sure. I've always been really competitive and I don't like making bogeys. I don't enjoy that. Any time I hit a bad shot it's all about how you respond. Because bad shots are going to come. You're not going to play 72 holes of perfect golf. A lot of it is how you respond. I felt like I did a really good job of that this week. Just hoping to build on it going forward.

Q. I think this was the third year in a row that you played in the final group on Sunday. Just wondering what is it about Phoenix, what it is about TPC Scottsdale? And also next year are you going to be making sure you stay in the hotel room, rent the same color rental car, do all that stuff? Are you superstitious at all?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Not really. I stayed in a different hotel last year than I did they year. So not really superstitious. But, yeah, I love the environment here. It's a lot of fun to play. I think the firmness of the golf course really suits me. Having the ability to play a lot of different shots. Hit it high, hit it low.

The wind this week brought a new challenge that we hadn't had around this golf course since I've been playing this tournament. So it was definitely a good challenge and was a fun week.

Q. You struggled a bunch late last year with the putter. Even changed it for awhile. When did you feel like it was behaving again?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I hit a lot of solid putts in the Bahamas and I did a lot of work in the off-season working on my stroke. Kind of like I did last year. Then I was hitting a lot of solid putts. That's really all you can do.

Kapalua, it was like the hole was dodging my putts. Same thing in Palm Springs.

This week there was still a little bit of that, but I started to really -- today I putted fantastic. I rolled it really nice. Made a lot of key putts. That's what you got to do to get it done. You got to make the putts. That's what it comes down to late on Sundays.

I miss that putt on 16 it's probably a little different story. I bet Nick's putt probably goes in. That was really the first putt I think he missed today. So, yeah, got to make the putts.

Q. What would you say was the level of frustration after the third round, that Saturday, at Kapalua with your putting?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I don't remember. (Laughing.) I got to think. I don't know.

Q. We're still pretty early in the season. Very early in the calendar year. What are you looking at going forward and what are your goals for the rest of this year?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I've said it a few times, but I don't really set long-term goals. I try and stay in the present. So for right now I'm going to go home, enjoy this win -- not go home, go to L.A. But enjoy this win with -- Meredith's here, we've got a few of our friends. So go enjoy this and then get out there. I'm playing in the Collegiate Showcase tomorrow morning. So get there as quick as I can, get some rest and just kind of soak this one in.

THE MODERATOR: Scottie, congratulations. Have a great week next week.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Thanks, y'all. Appreciate it.