Scottie Scheffler is no doubt one of the best golfers on the planet right now, having won six times in the past 18 months, including a major.
Even still, a simple comment from the greatest player of his generation can still leave the World No. 2 at a loss for words.
Take for instance this exchange Scheffler had with none other than Tiger Woods last fall at a TaylorMade shoot.
Each year, TaylorMade puts out a video of its stable of pros, which also includes Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood, testing the new year’s equipment for the first time. Woods’ participation since signing with the company has been off and on depending on his health, but at the time last fall, he was good to hit balls with the rest of the crew.
Scheffler, meanwhile, only signed with TaylorMade midway through last season, meaning this was his first chance to test equipment in this setting, the GOAT looking on.
Toward the end of the 33-minute video (skip to the 29:45 mark above), Woods seems content with his session and walks over to the reining PGA Tour Player of the Year’s bag and starts chatting him up about some of the clubs they were testing.
“Which one you liking?” Woods asked Scheffler.
One of the greatest players of all time asking Scheffler for his take on golf clubs? That’s the type of moment that would make most golf nerds shiver. Not to mention Scheffler, who wears Woods’ Nike shoes and even played Woods’ signature TaylorMade irons before signing with the company.
However, Scheffler clearly had been eyeing something else about Woods’ testing session that he was dying to ask the 15-major champion about.
“Hey, what’s with the no divots?” Scheffler said.
“What?” Woods responded.
The video cut to Woods’ hitting area which, even after a half-hour of hitting balls, showed just one small area of scratched-up turf and one of Woods’ golf balls perched on a tee.
“Why do you take a divot,” Woods cheekily responded after the two looked over at his station.
“I don’t know, I’m asking you,” Scheffler responded.
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Clearly, the then-46-year-old Woods, whose pro career started two months after Scheffler, 26, was born, was trying to teach him something. Or at the very least, it’s one of the slickest power plays we’ve ever seen.
“I’m just picking it,” Woods said.
“Do you do that always when you’re warming up?”
“Uh-huh. When I’m swinging well, I don’t take divots.”
Scheffler couldn’t believe it. All most golfers have been taught throughout their lives is taking a small divot, just after the ball is the sign of a good swing. And here’s the GOAT saying he just simply doesn’t take when he’s hitting it well. Makes you wonder what else people have been lying to you about.
“Have you always been like that or just when you’re practicing?” Scheffler asked.
“No, when I’m flushing it, I don’t take divots. That’s just how it is.”
The two just looked at each other. Scheffler clearly didn’t know how to respond. We don’t blame him. In just over 30 seconds, Woods demonstrated the precision that led him to 110 professional wins and a record 683 weeks at World No. 1. And did so with the subtle arrogance that only Woods can.
Then Scheffler, who can win this week at the AT&T Byron Nelson to earn a 36th career week at World No. 1, changed the subject to fairway woods.
