On Scottie Scheffler, his wife and 2 sweet moments that bookended Players win
Scottie Scheffler and his wife, Meredith, earlier this month at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
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We’ve seen Scottie Scheffler’s wife, Meredith, often. We perhaps met her in earnest, though, in April of 2022, at the Masters.
On the morning of the final round, 18 holes away from his first major championship, Scottie didn’t think he was ready for what could come. He admitted he broke down. He said he cried.
But Meredith was steadfast.
She’d have none of that.
“She told me, ‘Who are you to say that you are not ready? Who am I to say that I know what’s best for my life?’” Scheffler said.
“So what we talked about is that God is in control and that the Lord is leading me, and if today is my time, it’s my time. And if I shot 82 today, you know, somehow I was going to use it for His glory. Gosh, it was a long morning. It was long.”
Revelatory, isn’t it? Scottie’s admittance. And Meredith’s counsel. It was a peek inside their dynamic. Later that day, Scottie won at Augusta. And he hasn’t stopped winning. Last year, he repeated at the WM Phoenix Open. He won the Players Championship. He won the Hero World Challenge. This year, he’s won the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Sunday, he repeated at the Players.
At that latest win, we got another Scottie and Meredith glimpse. Two of ‘em. One toward the start of the action. One at the end. We’ll go in order. The first is good, if you’re into emotion.
It’d been captured by the PGA Tour’s social team ahead of the Players, then shared last Tuesday. On the 18th green, Scottie was reflecting on his 2023 win, his game. Interestingly, on the video, he said he doesn’t take practice strokes on putts, and takes two behind the ball on full swings. He also said he often can’t hear what’s around him when he’s over the ball.
For a minute, he talked about Meredith. About seeing her at the end.
Below is the video. Below that are the words on his wife.
“I just remember everybody was kind of over here and my family was back there. And so I do always remember after we got done and kind of celebrated, you know, I always look for, for them.”
Here, Scottie started to choke up. He itched his chin.
“And uh, like, I’ve seen the highlight on TV, and it looks like I’m going at the crowd like this [holds arms up], but I’m really just looking at Mere on the hill. [Chokes up.] And so like we’re kind of down in the back and she’s on the hill. [Chokes up.] And then, yeah, that was it. [Wipes away tears.]
Here a replay was shown of Scottie hugging Meredith.
“Yeah, I always get emotional when I talk about Meredith for some reason.
“I think Mere has such a good understanding of kind of how much work it takes to get to this point. Like, in order to win a tournament like this. You know, all the work that we both put in day in, day out, in order to be able to do this and so it’s really fun when we’re able to celebrate good times like winning a tournament and accomplishing your goal. That’s something that’s pretty rare and just a lot of fun to be able to celebrate.”
It’s OK to enjoy that last paragraph. Makes you think.
Days later, Scottie won a second Players. Meredith was there again. She and Scottie are expecting their first child soon.
After the victory, Scottie talked with reporters. What did he think of Wyndham Clark’s miss? (He didn’t see it; he was on the range.) Did he think he’d win after injuring his shoulder earlier in the tournament? (That was the hope.) How differently does he feel with his putting, a source of irritation this year? (He believed in his process.) Is it hard to be in contention every week? (It is, but it’s also fun.) But about midway through, GOLF’s Michael Bamberger wondered about Scottie’s “unpretentious, unassuming” demeanor, along with its origin, and Bamberger eloquently used part of the exchange in a column written Sunday night (which you can — and should — read here).
Scottie Scheffler is golf’s best player. Maybe its most charming, too
In response to the question, Scheffler talked of not changing who he is. The trip home would be the same. Other stuff would be the same. He credited his support system. Great parents. Great siblings. Great Meredith.
Bamberger then asked a follow-up. The response is good, if you’re into being kept humble. Below is the question. Below that is Scottie’s answer.
“That one comment you made after winning at the Masters when you said you cried with your wife, and it was like, I’m not really sure if I’m ready for this. Have you found that that sort of entered the public consciousness because it very much did for me just watching you from a distance?”
“Well, I just think that I try to be as honest as I can,” Scheffler started. “This environment here, where everything’s being recorded, I think it can be a tough place to be 100 percent honest all the time. You got to be cautious and don’t want to say the wrong thing this day and age.
“But at the end of the day, I think it all goes back to the support system at home. I really do have a great support system. I’m very thankful for it. I have a great wife, and if I started taking my trophies and putting them all over the house and walking in all big-time, I think she would smack me on the side of the head and tell me to get over myself pretty quickly.
“Winning golf tournaments doesn’t give me any brownie points at home, so I just try and do my best.”
At that Scottie laughed.
You might be too.
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