Scottie Scheffler might be enjoying wearing shorts and shirts in California as his hometown of Dallas awaits a possible snowstorm this weekend, but when it comes to talking golf he’s as serious as ever.
The No. 1-ranked player in the world was asked what motivates him as the PGA Tour’s most dominant player and how to maintain that position before making his 2026 PGA Tour debut at the American Express this week.
Scheffler, who enters La Quinta as the tournament’s prohibitive favorite, told reporters that while he is not super goal oriented, he’s driven by a love of practice and competition.
“When I’m getting ready to come back out and play, when I look at the offseason when I’m practicing, I’m thinking about coming out here and competing and preparing for that,” he said Tuesday at La Quinta’s PGA West Pete Dye Stadium Course. “I don’t think about really much other than that. I’m just trying to get ready to come out here and play and compete and do my best.”’
Since winning the 2022 Masters, Scheffler has enjoyed one of the best four-year runs in the sport’s history. His enjoyment of such success has been subject to much speculation — both internally and from the golf world at large.
The question reared its head again at Tuesday’s press conference: Is chasing perfection fun?
“I have the understanding that I’m never going to get there,” Scheffler replied, echoing past sentiments on winning at a historic clip. “This is a game that can’t be perfected. But I think that’s what always keeps you coming back.”
He concluded that his game can always be sharper, and that what he’s chasing is the perfect shot off the tee as much as he is chasing perfection in his overall career.
“There’s nothing better than hitting the ball exactly the way you want to. That’s one of the best feelings ever,” Scheffler said. “I think as golfers we’re all kind of chasing that.”