Two years ago in Rome, Scottie Scheffler looked nothing like the world’s best golfer. He walked away from the Ryder Cup without a single victory, posting an 0-2-2 record that included a stunning 9-and-7 defeat alongside Brooks Koepka – the largest losing margin in Ryder Cup foursomes history. For a player who had taken down Jon Rahm in singles just two years earlier, it was a bitter pill to swallow.
That memory hasn’t faded, and Scheffler is making sure it doesn’t happen again. Speaking at the Procore Championship this week, he admitted the sting of 2023 still lingers. “I think I left there without winning a single match, and that hurt,” he told ESPN’s Paolo Uggetti.“I could have been sharper. That was a learning experience for me.”
This time, his preparation looks different. Instead of taking weeks off before the Ryder Cup, Scheffler is staying in tournament mode. “It would be unusual for me to have four or five weeks off before the Masters or U.S. Open,” he said. “So there’s no reason I should be doing that before the Ryder Cup.”
A Fresh Routine for the Game’s Biggest Stage
The Ryder Cup has a reputation for producing nerves like no other event in golf. Even seasoned major champions have admitted that the opening tee shot feels unlike anything else. For Scheffler, sharpening his competitive edge through live events is the key to controlling those nerves. “You can practice at home, but it’s different when you’re under pressure,” he explained.
The timing couldn’t be more crucial. Scheffler enters Bethpage Black in blistering form, already stacking wins on the PGA Tour this season and sitting firmly atop the world rankings. Team USA is counting on him not only to deliver points but also to set the tone for a roster that struggled in Rome.
It’s a leadership role Scheffler has grown into since his Ryder Cup debut in 2021, when he knocked off Rahm in singles at Whistling Straits. If his revamped preparation pays off, the U.S. may finally carry the Cup back across the Atlantic – and erase the memory of that painful week in Italy.
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