Scottie Scheffler heads to Open with one harsh truth: losing sucks

Scottie Scheffler is the top-ranked golfer in the world, but what keeps him up at night has little to do with rankings or trophies. Ahead of the Open Championship at Royal Portrush, Scheffler opened up about something much simpler and more honest: how much he hates losing.

Scheffler's comments are candid

“It sucks. I hate it. I really do,” he said without hesitation during his pre-tournament press conference. “That’s why we work so hard — to avoid that feeling. But golf is just one of those sports where you lose way more than you win.”

It was a rare, raw moment of honesty from a player who has done more winning than almost anyone else on the PGA Tour over the past two years. But to Scheffler, the pain of coming up short seems to outweigh the joy of finishing first.

“You can grind all year, you can pour everything into your game, and still leave a course empty-handed. And that happens more often than not,” he said.

Comparing to a great

He compared it to tennis, where even all-time greats like Roger Federer only won a little more than half the points they played. That kind of reality sticks with Scheffler.

“People don’t realize how much work goes into getting to the top. And even when you’re there, the wins are brief, almost forgettable. But losing? That sticks,” he said.

As Scheffler prepares for another shot at a major championship, he’s chasing more than a trophy. He’s chasing a feeling that never lasts long and trying to avoid the one that lingers much longer.

“You win, and it’s great for maybe two minutes,” he said. “Then it’s gone. But when you lose, it stays with you. You remember it. It drives you.”

His talent, and drive, and drive to never lose is whhy Scottie Scheffler remains one of the fiercest competitors in golf, even if he wishes it didn’t matter so much.