In 2026, I’ll be a better loser.
That means I’m a world-class winner. I love celebrating in the locker room, so to speak. Here is an example. In late June, during a round with two friends in Las Vegas, I tied my personal best with a 76. (The fact that I’m leading this story in PR actually already makes my point). those In a round, the ball stays in the center of the club face even after unloading. On the 9th hole, I was able to hole out from 100 yards. But if pressed, I could probably recite every shot, along with what I was wearing, the conversation I had on my way to and from the course, and the taste of the beer at the turn. (It was from local brewery Able Baker Brewing.) The day was amazing and remains a first-class memory in my mind.
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The main reason was that the score was great.
But what about days other than 76 days? And the pointless rounds of 92s?
Even if you can’t erase it, it will blur. For that matter, what is it other than 76 years old? What is 92?
A few days ago, after people started sharing their handicap rewinds, I tried to remember some of this year’s rounds, and since I’ve only played about 12, it shouldn’t have been that difficult. But I needed some time. I went to some pretty cool places too. chambers bay. Lawsonia. Innes is a New York course designed by the Kings Collins Gang. Several scenic spots in the Poconos, Pennsylvania. Courses in Ireland. But the details all run together to some extent. they are not clear.
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Or maybe not as vivid as capital The Round.
So, should we commemorate the victory? Yes, you should. We want to remember how we got there so we can get back there again. And do I need to flush L? yes. Learn what went wrong and move on.
But perhaps victory and defeat require different definitions.
Scores don’t have to be the only way to measure yourself. (To paraphrase Ty Webb from “Caddyshack,” you can judge, for example, by your height.) That day will come. That’s the company. We have hot dogs. We have golf soda. I think we’re doing a good job here. However, I have declared that I want to be better. At the risk of overstepping the bounds of naivety, this idea has become even clearer since November, when he suffered a broken rib in a car accident and was benched before swinging a club. Hmm, I want to hit some balls right now.
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It won’t even matter where they go.
So let’s continue with this annual article. There are 24 wishes left, but the last one is obvious.
2. Scotty Scheffler, please be more open. Details of what was said at the British Open.
To refresh your memory, these thoughts and questions are listed below. Associated Press Doug Ferguson is in italics.
You talk about the show going on, and it actually does. What’s the longest you’ve ever celebrated? What was your biggest loss or how long did it take you to get over it?
“I think it’s kind of funny. I think I said something after Byron this year about feeling like I spent my whole life celebrating winning a tournament for a few minutes. It’s that kind of euphoria that only lasts a few minutes.”
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“I literally worked my whole life to get better at golf to have a chance to win the Byron Nelson Championship at home, to win the tournament. It’s such a great moment when you win and you celebrate and you get to hug your family and you have your little sister. And then you’re like, ‘Okay, what are we going to have for dinner?’ Life goes on.
“Isn’t it great to win a tournament or achieve your goals in golf? Yeah, just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes because I’ve literally spent my entire life trying to get better at this sport. It’s a pretty cool feeling to have that kind of accomplishment. At the end of the day, I’m not here to inspire the next generation of golfers. What’s the point of being the best in the world? It’s fulfilling as a sense of accomplishment, but it’s not fulfilling as a feeling in the deepest part of your heart.
“There are a lot of people who achieve what they thought would fulfill them in life. And when they get there, they get to world number one. And they’re like, ‘What’s the point? I really believe that, because what’s the point? Why do I want to win this tournament so much?’
“That’s something I struggle with every day. It’s like playing the Masters every year. Why do I want to win this golf tournament so much? Why do I want to win the British Open? I don’t know, because if I win, it’ll be great for two minutes. And then we’ll go to the next week (and be asked): ‘Hey, you won two majors this year. How important is that to you?’ Winning the FedEx Cup playoffs?” And I’m back here again.
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“So that’s what we really do. We work so hard for little moments like this. I feel kind of bad. I love to strive, I love to practice, and I love to make my dreams come true. But at the end of the day, sometimes I just don’t see the point.”
“I don’t know if I’m making sense, right? This is just one of those deals. I love the challenge. I’m so happy to be able to make a living playing this game. It’s one of the greatest joys of my life, but will it fulfill my deepest desires and desires? Absolutely not.”
What makes you feel fulfilled?
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“I love golf,” Scheffler said. “I love being able to compete. I love living out my dreams. I love being a father. I love being able to take care of my son. I love being able to play golf here and support my family.”
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“When I get up early every day and go to work, my wife goes out and says thank you for working so hard. When I get home, I try to thank her every day for taking care of our son. That’s why I say family comes first. That’s really important. I’m lucky to be able to come out here and play golf, but if my golf starts to affect my home life or my relationship with my wife and son, that’s going to be the last day I play here for a living.
“This is not the most important thing, this is not the final thing. This is not the most important thing in my life. So I struggle with why this is so important to me, because I would much rather be a great father than I would be a great golfer. At the end of the day, that’s what’s more important to me.”
That’s why I asked this question. What does losing mean to you? Is that okay?
“It’s terrible,” Scheffler said. “I don’t like it. I really don’t like it.”
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That’s part of the competition.
“I mean,” Scheffler said, “I think that’s why we try so hard not to lose. But golf is a game where you lose a lot more times than you win. That’s just the simple part. In basketball or football, when you only have two players, you win a lot more times than you lose.”
“I think I was looking at the statistics, and it was one of the best tennis players, it could have been Federer or Djokovic or someone, and they only won 48 percent of the points or something like that.
“It’s a really weird thing to play professional sports. It really is. You work so hard for something so ephemeral, even though you put in so much effort. It really is. The feeling of victory doesn’t last that long.
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“When I sit down at the end of the year and look back on the sense of accomplishment I had when I won the Masters Tournament, or the sense of accomplishment I had when I won the PGA Championship, I feel a deep sense of gratitude and gratitude for that, but it’s hard to explain why I’m not. I don’t know how to put it, I just don’t feel satisfied. It’s not a satisfying business.”
“What I’m trying to say is, this is not a place for your satisfaction. This is something that you can have a huge sense of gratitude for, and a huge sense of gratitude for being able to do this. Like I said, this is literally one of the most enjoyable things in my life. I love being able to go out here and compete, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t satisfy me, if that’s what it means.”
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Rory McIlroy won the tournament Sunday at Augusta National by winning the sudden-death playoff round. Augusta, Georgia
3. For Rory McIlroy, it remained open. One of the most interesting thoughts this year was hearing that you were wondering where to go next after winning the Masters. (However, the treatment of silence around the US Open was strange.)
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4. A Masters title for Justin Rose. But I think the next player might win.
5. For Tommy Fleetwood, it’s a win at the British Open Championship, held at Royal Birkdale, near where he grew up.
6. For Xander Schauffele, it reduces pain in the rib area. I understand how you feel.
7. For Gino Titicle, it’s a title at the U.S. Women’s Open, which will be held in prime time at the historic Riviera Country Club. This gives Titikul his first major championship.
8. For Nelly Korda, her win at Evian is her third win in five women’s majors.
9. For Minjee Lee, victory at the Chevron Championship means she has won four of the five women’s majors.
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10. For Lydia Ko, winning the Women’s PGA would mean winning four of the five women’s majors.
11. For Charlie Hull, victory at the Women’s Open marks her No. 1 major win.
12. The LPGA and new commissioner Craig Kessler are hoping to make at least one of their previous five wishes come true. Consider the potential TV ratings for these winners.
13. LIV Golf is an international team event of 12 players per side, featuring LIV and LPGA players. Consider how much that event could increase TV ratings.
14. See above for PGA Tour.
15. The Solheim Cup will go into a draw Sunday, making it the best couch day ever in the U.S. — Sunday singles in the morning and NFL in the afternoon.
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16. Consider the ideas above for the Presidents Cup. Schedule Sunday singles to go out at 8 a.m. in the Central region. Or run the event Thursday through Saturday.
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17. For American Ryder Cup fans, he is a songwriter. There is nothing wrong with being more vocal at this event. However, copy the euro and get creative musically.
18. Keegan Bradley needed two wins in 2026 and 2027 to make a final shot at winning the Cup.
19. As for your third captain, Luke Donald, can you tell us more about the steps he takes to ensure victory, including taking care of his shampoo?
20. Health and victory for Tiger Woods – U.S. Senior Open.
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twenty one. Some wins for major bettors. If you’re interested in my picks, we already hoped Fleetwood would win the British Open Championship and pointed out that he would win the Masters as well. So let’s let Ludvig Aberg win the US Open and Robert McIntyre win the PGA.
twenty two. The interest in golf continued with TGL, “Full Swing,” Skins Games, Golf Channel Games, every event, every tour. Golf is popular here. Let’s hope the audience supports it all and never gets overwhelmed.
twenty three. For YouTubers, what you do is more important. I’m like LeBron – I look at it. That’s how professionals should be too. Access is great. The editing is great.
twenty four. At Cedar Creek Golf Club, tee shots go over the fence in early spring and late fall. (For more information about CCGC, click here or scroll to the end of this article.)
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twenty five. For golf fans, it’s business as usual. And forever. You can round up at noon on Friday and play until the sun goes down. Then eat the brat on the turn. And then you win the Masters ticket lottery. And I’m going on a golf trip in the fall. Good stuff.
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