Scottie Scheffler’s humor is wonderfully dry. And the question was perfectly placed on a tee.
Let’s first establish the latter. Ahead of this week’s Tournament of Champions, the defending Masters champion was asked about one of his defending Masters champion’s obligations, the Champions Dinner, and how he would navigate some rocky golf waters. To catch you up there in a sentence, Augusta National announced that players from Saudi-backed LIV Golf will be allowed at this year’s event, and since we already knew PGA Tour golfers will be there, things may get weird.
Anyway, here’s this exchange between Scheffler and a reporter.
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“Yesterday, Jon Rahm was asked what he was most excited about this year. Jon laughed and he said, I really wish I could be at the Masters Champions Dinner. You’re hosting. So have you thought about your speech and how you’re going to bring everyone together?”
“Not really,” Scheffler said. “I’ve thought a little bit about the menu. I did. I don’t know exactly what I’m going to serve, but I’ve put a little bit of thought into it.
“Bring everybody together, meaning like?”
“He was just saying, because obviously it’s the first Masters post-schism LIV era, and he was saying it’s going to be the first time that a lot of those people are in the same room together in a little while.”
“Yeah. I haven’t seen many of the LIV guys,” Scheffler said. “I saw Bubba [Watson, a LIV golfer and a former Masters winner] on vacation this year, and I told him that I was just going to have a separate table for him in the corner by himself. Only kidding, obviously.”
Indeed.
There’s more.
To set this one up, know that typically the relationship between players and reporters is good, though there are moments of needling on both sides. Like this exchange, after Friday’s second round at the Plantation Course at Kapalua, when players traditionally wear Hawaiian shirts as part of Aloha Friday.
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Said reporter: “Did you get distracted at all by your beautiful shirt that you were playing in today?
Said Scheffler, who was wearing a white polo adorned with gray flowers: “You know, when I put it on this morning, I was kind of wondering how I’m going to do this because there’s so much going on. This isn’t my typical attire, but I got used to it pretty quick.”
But Scheffler deadpanned last, beautifully so.
This exchange immediately followed.
Reporter. “Is there anything that you’ve been working on in the offseason that you put into play the last couple days that seems to be working?”
Scheffler: “I’m always kind of fine-tuning things, and I would say it seems to be working. Just trying to get comfortable with what I’m doing and a new year and stuff like that. So I’m off to a solid start and hoping to continue it the next couple of days.”
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Reporter. “What would be an example of something you’re fine-tuning?”
Scheffler: “Just stuff with my putting stroke and then, I mean, if you want to go all the way across the …”
Reporter: “All the way.”
Scheffler: “All the way? Still always learning to hit more shots and controlling the ball on the range and just practicing short game.”
Reporter. “What happens to your putting stroke?”
Scheffler: “Sometimes the putts stop going in and I’m trying to figure out why.”
Noted.
