Scottie Scheffler has been praised for how he handled some of the questions from the media during a mixed week at The Players Championship.
Scheffler’s form continues to baffle many. The world number one has now finished outside the top 20 in back-to-back events for the first time since 2023.
Having said that, he remains fifth in the FedEx Cup standings. The 29-year-old also won The American Express on his first start of the year at La Quinta.
Scottie Scheffler’s behaviour during The Players Championship assessed
Concerns about Scheffler’s form stem from the fact that he has been so good over the last couple of years. He has been absolutely dominant since the start of the 2024 season.
Wayne Riley spoke of hugely successful players who have disappeared when discussing Scheffler’s form ahead of the PGA Tour‘s flagship event.
But it seems that Scheffler is not at all concerned. The four-time major champion was extremely prickly with the press, particularly when any question alluded to some sort of loss of form.
Some may have been disappointed by Scheffler’s attitude. But speaking on Dan on Golf, Dan Rapaport suggested that he was a big fan of how he handled the questions.
“‘Did I find anything?’ He was like, ‘guys, relax here’. And I love it, he’s pushing back on the hyperbolic day to day cycle of the media centre,” he said.
“It’s one of the reasons that I don’t stay at golf tournaments when the tournaments are going on anymore. You wouldn’t interview a basketball player after the first, second, and third quarter. They’re performing, they don’t want to talk to you. They just don’t. They’re focused on recovery.
“I love it. I thought antsy Scottie was very entertaining this week.”
The Tiger Woods attribute the PGA Tour will not want Scottie Scheffler to adopt
Criticism of journalists for asking about subjects fans are discussing seems incredibly unfair. Few would have imagined what would happen to Scheffler’s results after his win at The American Express.
It is jarring to see him make so many mistakes. So, while you can understand him having a shorter fuse, the reporters clearly have to probe him and find out what he thinks about his results.
But there is a danger of pushing Scheffler too far. For all the entertainment Tiger Woods provided, it is fair to say that the 15-time major champion did not tend to give a lot away when he spoke to the media.
Scheffler is not driven by being a superstar. So he may reach a stage, particularly if his form does not turn around, where he decides that he is going to provide even shorter answers to questions he does not appreciate.
It was definitely entertaining to watch Scheffler handle his frustrations this past week on and off the course. But the PGA Tour will be wary of having its best player opt to play every question with a straight bat in future.