Fellow PGA Tour players react to Scottie Scheffler's shocking comments

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PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Two days before play at the Open Championship is set to begin, Scottie Scheffler shocked the golf world at Royal Portrush by saying he doesn’t find the game fulfilling or satisfying, and that victories only offer him a few minutes of euphoria.

“I’m not out here to inspire someone to be the best player in the world because what’s the point? This is not a fulfilling life,” Scheffler said as part of a lengthy speech during a press conference on Tuesday.

When the Toronto Sun relayed the world No. 1’s comments to Nick Taylor following a practice round, the Canadian golfer was able to relate to some of what the three-time major winner had said.

“In this game, you’re always chasing,” Taylor told the Sun. “If you look at him I think that’s probably why he’s so driven.”

“It’s easy to settle in this game and that’s when you get in trouble. But it’s always on to the next. That’s the theme out here. It’s not like other sports where you win the Super Bowl or the Stanley Cup and you have time to soak it in.

“When I’ve won, I’ve played the next week every time and it’s always like three days later it’s onto next week and you’re trying to focus on that but it’s difficult. It’s interesting.”

Five-time PGA Tour winner Taylor said he certainly finds winning tournaments satisfying, but understands that everyone is an individual and some players are in a different position.

“There’s fulfillment for sure with success,” Taylor said. “I think everyone is at a different level as to what fills their cup essentially.”

Taylor Pendrith seemed to have a slightly more difficult time putting himself in Scheffler’s shoes.

“The guy wins so much, maybe he’s only happy for a few minutes,” Pendrith said. “I’ve only won once and had a couple other chances and it’s exciting to do. I don’t know. I think I would find winning fulfilling.

“You want to put yourself in that position as much as you can because it doesn’t happen very often.”

Pendrith agreed, however, that fulfillment has to come from more than the game of golf.

“I think you have to enjoy the good times, but at the end of the day it is a job and there’s much more to life,” he said. “I really enjoy my time away from the game.”

Taylor added that he feels there is something to be learned from Scheffler’s point of view on success and fulfillment.

“I can understand what he’s saying, but what I take from that is that is why he’s so driven,” Taylor said. “His thing is kind of the journey, it’s not what’s at the end of it.

“Someone like Tiger and him, they can win and it’s great but they always want to be better and I think everyone can learn from that.”