Scottie Scheffler has suggested that reaching the top of the mountain in golf is ‘not a fulfilling life’ and insists he should not be a role model for the next generation.
In a remarkable press conference ahead of The Open Championship, the World No. 1 explained that the euphoric feeling of winning a major ‘lasts for two minutes’ before he feels the pressure of turning his attention to the next event.
“You know, I said something after the Byron this year… it feels like you work your whole life to celebrate winning a tournament for a few minutes,” Scheffler, who has shown his frustration in recent days, told reporters on Tuesday.
“It only lasts a few minutes, that kind of euphoric feeling. To win the Byron Nelson Championship at home, I literally worked my entire life to become good at golf, to have an opportunity to win that tournament.
“And you win it, you celebrate, get to hug your family… it’s such an amazing moment.
“Then it’s like, ‘Ok, now what are we going to eat for dinner?’ You know, life goes on.”
Scheffler, who went on to win the PGA Championship after his success at the Byron, spoke in a sombre tone this week as he reflected on his legendary career to date.
The American is a three-time major champion who has banked just shy of $88million across his eight years on the PGA Tour to date.
Only Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson have made more money on the tour.
But despite earning millions, and achieving the kind of sporing success that many can only dream of, Scheffler admitted that golf has not offered him a fulfilling life.
“Is it great to be able to win tournaments, and to accomplish the things I have in the game of golf? Yeah,” he said.
“I mean, it brings tears to my eyes just to think about because I’ve literally worked my entire life to become good at the sport and to have that kind of sense of accomplishment, I think it’s a pretty cool feeling.
“To get to live out your dreams is very special. But at the end of the day, I’m not out here to inspire the next generation of golfers.
“I’m not here to inspire somebody else to be the best player in the world, because what’s the point? You know, this is not a fulfilling life.
“It’s fulfilling from a sense of accomplishment, but it’s not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places of your heart.
“There’s a lot of people that make it to what they thought was going to fulfill them in life, and then you get there and all of a sudden, you get to number one in the world. And then they’re like, ‘What’s the point?’
“You know, I really do believe that. Because, what is the point? You’re like, ‘Why do I want to win this tournament so bad?’ That’s something that I wrestle with on a daily basis.”
Scheffler, who is among the favorites to win his second major of the year as Royal Portrush hosts The 153rd Open Championship this week, went on to weigh up the feeling of winning on the course and the pressure that follows.
“If I win, it’s going to be awesome for about two minutes,” he said.
“And then we’re going to get to the next week and it’s going to be like, ‘Hey, you won two majors this year. How important is it for you to win the FedExCup playoffs?’ And it’s like, we’re back here again.
“We work so hard for such little moments. And I’m kind of a sicko. I love putting in the work.
“I love being able to practice. I love getting out to live out my dreams. But at the end of the day, sometimes I just don’t understand the point.”
Scheffler went on to suggest that playing golf and competing is ‘one of the greatest joys’ of his life, but that it doesn’t come close to fulfilling the ‘deepest wants and desires of his heart’ as fatherhood does.
He explained: “I’m blessed to be able to come out here and play golf.
“But if my golf ever started affecting my home life, or it ever affected the relationship I have with my wife or with my son, that’s going to be the last day that I play out here for a living.
“This is not the be all end all. This is not the most important thing in my life. And that’s what I wrestle with.
“You know, I would much rather be a great father than I would be a great golfer.
“At the end of the day, that’s what’s more important to me.”