Scottie Scheffler joined GOLF's Subpar and gave his take on the Presidents Cup controversy.
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The 2024 Presidents Cup resulted in a decisive victory for the U.S., but that doesn’t mean the event unfolded without drama. Not only did many of the matches come right down to the wire, but there also was plenty of trash talk.
One such instance came in the first session of the event as Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley squared off with Tom Kim and Sungaje Im.
After making a lengthy birdie putt on the 7th hole, Kim celebrated colorfully, complete with double fist-pumps, a “Come on!” and “Let’s go!” Moments later, Scheffler matched the birdie — and gave a spirited celebration of his own.
“If we were at home, I would’ve done the exact same thing,” Scheffler said on this week’s episode of GOLF’s Subpar. “It was one of those deals where it’s fun. If it wasn’t my friend, I never would’ve done anything or reacted. It just so happens that it was my buddy out there … At the end of the day it’s all in good fun.”
The drama of the week didn’t end there, though. As the event progressed, there were plenty of other incidents, including a confrontation between Scheffler’s caddie and a fan; Kim accused the Americans of using inappropriate language directed at him.
But in a team event that’s so emotionally charged, Scheffler said that a little elevated temperature is to be expected.
“I think it was a bit more contentious this week than it had been in year’s past, but I think that was good for the event,” Scheffler said. “It was an awesome environment to play golf in. They were saying some stuff to us while we were playing, but that’s what you get at an away team event. That’s what people do … It’s a lot of fun.”
You can listen to the full episode of Subpar below.
Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.
