Scottie Scheffler looks set to overtake Jordan Spieth and become a four-time major champion, with the world number one in a fantastic position on Sunday at The Open Championship.
If there was any doubt at all, Scottie Scheffler is closing in on becoming one of the all-time greats of the game. Should the 29-year-old win The Open Championship, he will boast four major titles in just 25 starts.
It is truly remarkable to think that Scheffler went into his Ryder Cup debut in 2021 not only awaiting his first major, but also his first PGA Tour victory.
He is set to be one victory away from the Career Grand Slam. Even if those on his team saw his talent, few could have ever imagined that he would potentially end 2025 with four major titles under his belt.
Jordan Spieth praises Scottie Scheffler as he closes in on Open Championship glory
One of his teammates that week at Whistling Straits was Jordan Spieth. And following his final round at Royal Portrush, the Texan – who lifted the Claret Jug in 2017 – explained how impressed he would be if Scheffler gets the job done.
“He’s obviously well-deserving of it, probably the most deserving player of it, and I’ve thought the way that his game is the last few years, the harder the conditions, the better for him over here. If there’s ever a chance for someone to take him down, it’s when it’s benign like this. But he’s been putting so well this week, I have a hard time thinking anybody else would get it done,” he said.
Spieth was asked about comments made by Shane Lowry in which he said more people would compare Scheffler with Tiger Woods if he had a golf swing like Adam Scott. And he outlined why he thinks Scheffler does not get all of the plaudits he potentially deserves.
“I think more so maybe it’s less the golf swing and maybe more of his personality. He doesn’t care to be a superstar. He’s not transcending the game like Tiger did. He’s not bringing it to a non-golf audience necessarily. He doesn’t want to go do the stuff that a lot of us go do, corporately, anything like that,” he said.
Scottie Scheffler hits his opening tee shot during the final round of The Open Championship at Royal Portrush
Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images
“He just wants to get away from the game and separate the two because I know that he — at one time, he felt it was too much, that he was taking it with him, and whenever he made that switch, I don’t know what it was, but he has hobbies. He’s always with his family. They’re always doing stuff.
More Golf News
“I think it’s more so the difference in personality from any other superstar that you’ve seen in the modern era and maybe in any sport. I don’t think anybody is like him.
“I wouldn’t necessarily think that the golf swing makes as much of a difference as the personality match. I’m thinking about so many other sports, and Nikola Jokic is the only guy I can think of that’s a superstar that’s equally unassuming in any sport in the modern era, and I’m happy if anybody else can find another example, but it’s very rare. Most people lean into it and take advantage of it,” he added.
“Federer, he went very — he’s maybe the same kind of demeanor and person; that doesn’t mean — as a person he’s different, but he made more off the court than he did on all the time, and he cared to. When Scottie is done playing, he’s not going to show back up at tournaments. I can promise you that.”
How Scottie Scheffler has performed at the US Open as he closes in on the Career Grand Slam
It looks likely that Scheffler is only going to need to win the US Open to become the seventh player to complete the Career Grand Slam.
His record in the event is still very impressive. He finished in the top five in 2022 and 2023, with a second place finish coming at Brookline.
He has four top 10s in his last five starts at the US Open. And you would imagine that many people will be tipping Scheffler to get across the line at Shinnecock next year.
It really feels like a matter of time. Given his personality, it is difficult to work out just what there is that can actually stop Scheffler from blowing all of his rivals away.
