Southampton, New York — golf is an interesting game. we all know that. No need for reminders from this author. But when? he Does that say?
“Golf is a very interesting game. A good example of this week is, if I finish second this week, it’s like: Hey, you missed your first chance to win a career grand slam. I feel like finishing second is a failure.”
advertisement
That, of course, was Scottie Scheffler. Four days ago, he sat in front of a camera inside a white tent in Shinnecock Hills, sharing his particular Scotty Brand perspective with the world. But does he feel the same way now?
Probably not. If you look at that scream and fist pump he gave on the 14th hole, we’re in the middle of a fight. It looked like he would be eliminated from the tournament, but he made a miraculous birdie. There’s no doubt he regrets the 4-footer he missed on No. 18 — it would make him more human — and it would have put him one shot closer to the top of the leaderboard. Instead, he is six shots behind. There are a few guys who have a chance to be punchers, but he has the longest arms.
The point of this exercise is that when your situation changes, your mood will also change. He was first asked about his career Grand Slam 336 days ago, just hours after winning the British Open. He laughed it off and reminded those of us who really, really care about these things that he’s one of the few who doesn’t.
It felt almost like the line he said Tuesday about second place and failure. Typical of Schaeffler, he reminded us to embrace the journey and stop and smell the roses. But he followed it up with a strange attitude, saying that second place isn’t necessarily such a bad thing… “But does it hurt a lot at the same time?”
advertisement
Officially, there’s a point here where it can go from low heat to an eerie boiling point where it can be extremely painful. From Thursday night the 49th to Friday night the 11th and Saturday the 2nd. He may seem destined for a Grand Slam, but many have come close to this and it’s like a coin flip when fate becomes reality. Technically, this is a first for Schaeffler. This will be my first attempt on the final leg. He knows he can get more. But he also knows how many times Phil Mickelson was runner-up at the U.S. Open. He may not know that there are three of the four players on the 13, but he does know that one of them is Dallas’ buddy Jordan Spieth, who has followed Dallas for nearly a decade. Every year, this quest takes on a different meaning. Scheffler had the honor of dressing Rory McIlroy in the green jacket at the 2025 Masters, tears of relief at the end of McIlroy’s own 10-year quest still drying on his freckled cheeks.
“I think it’s appropriate to understand what’s at stake,” Scheffler admitted in his most coy manner, finally starting to think about what could be an impossibly epic Scottie Day. The world’s best golfer will face a new reality on Sunday morning: his 20s are officially over. Sunday is his 30th birthday. It’s also Father’s Day, and there are still hours before the final pairing, so he plans to spend a few hours with his young children.
He will be given a moment when all emotions settle into something less fluid. It could happen on the front nine, the seventh hole, the par-3 11th, or even towards the end. It may last 30 seconds, 30 minutes, or even longer. He would have reason to think what everyone else is thinking now: a potential slam.
advertisement
What is the reason?
Golf is an interesting game.
The post My first dance with immortality by Scottie Scheffler. It doesn’t often come first in golf.

