If you want to get a glimpse of golfer Scotty Schaeffler, look no further than last year’s Hero World Challenge. Yes, Hit and Giggle in the Bahamas, where Tiger Woods is adorned, tee up only 20 players and uses the event as an excuse for tropical vacations during the holiday season.
After the 2024 campaign in which Schaeffler claimed nine titles around the world, Schaeffler evaluated the state of his game and felt he could get better, including his second Green Jacket, his first successful defense of the Player Championship, his Olympic gold medal and his first FedEx Cup crown.
“I’m always looking for ways to improve,” he said at the time.
He was right.
When switching from a traditional putting grip to a saw-style grip, the world’s No. 1 won the tournament with six strokes. Schaeffler then turned Green’s improved weakness into authenticable strength. It helped him win his first major championship from Augusta National this spring at the PGA Championship, and it took him to now The gateway to the career grand slam After he boat racing Northern Ireland’s field at the 2025 Open Championship, he can only be described as the most complete performance ever.
Schaeffler grew a jug of claret and made a Minset for the Royal Portrush with his peers on his way to win the revered title champion Golfer of the Year. His previous major championship victory had a window of hope for his competitors in the final round, but this was the curtain when his approach in the first hole settled 16 inches from the pin.
The conversation shifted from whether Schaeffler would win to the number of majors he would win in his career. This is because his leads bulged (easily) like they became objects competing with his (easily) eight strokes and historical meanings by his side.
In the end, Schaeffler achieved a four-stroke victory, making him the third player since the Masters first played in 1934, winning the third major championship over three strokes (Woods, Jack Nicklaus). He has also done so in his first four big wins since John Henry Taylor in 1909.
What makes Schaeffler so dominant in the ropes is this unwavering desire to squeeze out the fullest potential of his golfing, along with all the other parts of his game. This is why his counterpart travels through words when he is asked to explain Schaeffler and brings to the pressure of being perfect when asked to compete with him.
“How do you defeat this guy?” Harris English posed after finishing his runner on Schaeffler in the second major of the season.
“He’s literally probably more full shot than the next best player in the world, not to mention that he’s not the second best player in the world,” Matt Fitzpatrick said.
“If Scotty’s feet remained stable and his swing looked like Adam Scott, we’d be talking about him in the same words as Tiger Woods,” claimed Shane Lowry.
“You can’t even say he’s running. He’s been killing it for over two years now,” Xander Schauffele said. “He’s a guy that’s hard to beat and when you see his name on the leaderboard, it sucks for us.”
“I think all you can do is praise what he does and how he does it,” Rory McIlroy said. “I think what he’s doing is one thing, but how he does it is another.”
“No one thinks he is like him,” Jordan Spieth echoed.
When Schaeffler showed true emotion in the 18-hole ring on Sunday afternoon, the course in enemy territory Just over an hour from McIlroy’s hometown – It wasn’t when he was throwing Haymaker after Haymaker at the opening bell. After he misunderstood his tee shot in the par 3 sixth, he left a tricky up and down from under the putting surface he puts before.
As they are about to impose Northern Ireland’s highest fine, Schaeffler’s shots come across OOHS and AAHS as they felt an unusual slip was imminent. His subsequent pitch left him just outside 16 feet for a par, and when Schaeffler connected, he delivered two pumps of fist, not one, as if intended from what was a lined up green outside.
“I think the crowd wanted to beat someone else this week,” Schaeffler said. “And I had to play some spoilers, and that was fun too.”
The rest of Schaeffler’s walk went as planned. The shot was run and the jokes were traded for partner Haotong Li in the course of what was called the “ultra-serene” round. Schaeffler met Schaeffler as he walked the 18th hole as the sculptor began working on the claret jug.
Less than a minute after the final putt was dropped and Schaeffler’s hegemony was secured, spectators peeked at the man Scotty Schaeffler. Following the tame celebration, Caddy Ted Scott and embraced Schaeffler saw the most important thing in the crowd. Only then did real joy begin to wash his face.
“Every time I can win a tournament, the first person I’m always looking for is my wife,” Schaeffler said. “The place we walk every day is usually on the right side and we didn’t see her at first. So, ‘Oh, oh, what happened where? She’s not there.”
“I swung around the greenery and saw my dad standing there. “Okay, perfect, my family has to be there,” so I looked at Meredith. She is always the first person I want to celebrate. She is my best friend. That’s my best friend.
Securing his most precious possessions, Schaeffler has driven out the winner’s 72nd Green in one or more ways – his child in one arm, the other wife – is still nowhere to be seen.
“I think my biggest priorities are my faith and my family. They come first for me,” Schaeffler said. “Golf is third in that order.”
The trophy ceremony was followed. The speech he had to check his notes to thank everyone on his team came before Schaeffler first raised one of the sport’s most famous trophies. Theatre, pageantry and photography came along with Schaeffler, standing tall as this year’s champion golfer.
He is already more than that for the most important person.
“It’s a fun life for us and I feel like the whole team because we can celebrate winning tournaments like this… their names should be in the trophy along with me.
