Scottie Scheffler Says Winning Master's Title Doesn't Define Him: 'I Believe in a Creator'
The No. 1 golfer in the world, Scottie Scheffler, says he was at a crossroads just hours ahead of the 2024 Master's tournament.
The 27-year-old says being in the lead during the final round of the competition put pressure on him and left him overwhelmed.
During a post-game press conference, Scheffler told reporters, "I was sitting around with my buddies this morning, I was a bit overwhelmed, I told them, I wish I didn't want to win as badly as I did or as badly as I do. I think it would make the mornings easier."
He continued, "But I love winning. I hate losing. I really do. And when you're here in the biggest moments, when I'm sitting there with the lead on Sunday, I really, really want to win badly."
Advice from his friends led the champion to take the competition out of his hands and put it in God's hands.
"My buddies told me this morning, my victory was secure on the cross. And that's a pretty special feeling to know that I'm secure for forever, and it doesn't matter if I win this tournament or lose this tournament. My identity is secure forever," he shared, referring to the spiritual victory of salvation through Christ.
Scheffler approached the green with confidence and walked away a Master's champion for the second time in his career.
"I believe that today's plans were already laid out many years ago, and I could do nothing to mess up those plans. I have been given a gift of this talent, and I use it for God's glory. That's pretty much it," he said during the post-tournament conference.
Scheffler said his new win and the game of golf do not define him, but God does.
"I believe in one Creator, that I've been called to come out here, do my best, compete and glorify God, and that's pretty much it."
- World #1 Golf Scottie Scheffler pic.twitter.com/e9CynB3wVU— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) April 14, 2024
"Golf is something that I do. It is a tremendously huge part of my life, but it doesn't define me as a person. I happen to be good at it some weeks...and the next week I'm bad at it," he shared. "I'm a faithful guy. I believe in a Creator. I believe in Jesus. Ultimately, I think that's what defines me the most."
Giving glory to God is nothing new for Scheffler. Throughout his career, he has shared about his faith.
As CBN News reported, when Scheffler won his first major championship, the 2022 Masters Tournament, he shared he was "trying to glorify God" through his golf career.
"That all goes back to my faith," Scheffler said after being asked how he balances his desire to golf competitively without letting it define him as a person. "The reason why I play golf is: I'm trying to glorify God and all that He's done in my life."
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Scheffler also said his wife, Meredith, regularly prays for him to experience peace — something he always wants to have on the golf course. Additionally, he seeks to experience "God's presence."
"Every day when we go out there, Meredith always prays for peace, because that's what I want to feel on the golf course, is peace and have fun and just feel His presence," he said. "So that's her prayer every day. That's my prayer, and I really felt that today. I felt at peace."
Now, the couple awaits the arrival of their first child.
"Right now, the most exciting thing is not winning the Masters, it's (the) baby coming pretty soon," he said before the final round of the tournament.
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