Scottie Scheffler would be happy to complete the career Grand Slam on his first attempt, but if you’re thinking it’s his main motivation heading into the U.S. Open this week, you’d be sorely mistaken.
The world No. 1 arrived on the east end of Long Island one major shy of joining the ranks of some of golf’s biggest names, after having won the Masters twice, a PGA Championship and the Open Championship.
On Sunday, Scheffler could find himself on the verge of winning the only missing major from the list on his 30th birthday, which also happens to fall on Father’s Day.
But Scheffler has a different perspective on what his main motivation is heading into this week’s tournament.
“For me, would it be a dream to win the U.S. Open? Of course. But at the end of the day, the Grand Slam has never been a motivating factor for me,” Scheffler said Tuesday. “I always just wanted to be the best version of myself, and that got me this far. So when it comes to this golf tournament, I’m going to step on the first tee and remind myself I’ve done everything I possibly could in order to play well.
“Now it’s just a matter of going out there and trying to execute and kind of going back to enjoying the competition versus feeling like you have to win for some reason.”
Should Scheffler find himself hoisting the U.S. Open championship trophy on Sunday afternoon, he would join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy as the only seven men to win all four major championships during their careers.
But Scheffler is taking a more cerebral attitude toward the potentially historic milestone, understanding there is still more to accomplish in his career.
It was a similar tone that McIlroy echoed earlier this year when speaking to reporters ahead of the Truist Championship, when the Northern Irishman said that he “had to remember” that he still had a whole career ahead of him after he completed his career Grand Slam in 2025.
“If I win this tournament, that would be amazing, but I think then I show up the next week, and it’s like, ‘OK, now Scottie’s won the Grand Slam, he’s won all these golf tournaments. Now where do we go from here?’ ” Scheffler said. “So no matter what, I think as a player and as a professional athlete, you’re never going to live up to the expectations of people. I think sometimes that’s a little bit of the fallacy in our sport is, if I win the U.S. Open, then I’m going to be satisfied. I’ve won all the tournaments, and my career is essentially over, and I’ve accomplished everything I could want to accomplish. But I think the goalposts are always just moved further and further.”
Scheffler hasn’t managed to get over the hump at the U.S. Open in eight appearances, having finished tied for seventh last year at Oakmont. His best finish came in 2022, when he tied for second and has been a top 10 finisher in four of the last five U.S. Opens.
The PGA Tour star couldn’t pinpoint one U.S. Open result where he felt that he should have won, but noted that “second is not always that bad, but man, does it frickin’ hurt at the same time.”
Scheffler hasn’t won a tournament this year since The American Express in January; however, he does have second-place finishes at the Masters, as well as the RBC Heritage and the Cadillac Championship.
While Scheffler has felt “close most of the year,” Shinnecock could provide a unique opportunity for him.
Through the first two days of the practice rounds, wind has been a constant part of the conversation surrounding the course. While the wind was not as harsh on Tuesday as it had been on Monday, it was still a factor, and it’s expected to be one later in the week when the tournament begins.
Having grown up in Texas, Scheffler is well-versed in the intricacies of playing on windy courses.
“I think a lot of it is mostly just experience, especially in different types of winds,” he said. “The wind at Pebble Beach is different than the wind here, and it’s different than the wind at home. … When it’s hot, the ball doesn’t get as affected by the wind. Here, the wind is a bit heavier. I wouldn’t say it’s as heavy as a Pebble Beach, but it is a pretty heavy wind. I think a lot of that you just learn from experience and playing in all different kinds of conditions.”
