Scottie Scheffler is defending his title at The Open Championship, but the world No 1 is not focused on his legacy. Speaking ahead of the tournament, Scheffler kept things in perspective, declaring: 'We're all going to die.'
Scheffler's philosophical take
Last year, Scheffler questioned the meaning of life before winning his fourth major. This year, despite missing his first cut in 79 tournaments at the Scottish Open, he was in an ebullient mood. When asked about his legacy, he said: 'I have never once thought about how I'm going to be remembered. To me, it truly doesn't matter from a sense of accomplishment. Like when I die, “hey, Scottie won four majors and 20 tournaments and he won this much money”. That has zero effect on me.'
Focus on the journey
Scheffler emphasized that history isn't important to him. 'I'd much rather be remembered for the way that I did it: doing things the right way, treating people the right way,' he said. He added that he has learned to let competition be competition and move on. 'History for me has never been the most important thing,' he noted.
Rory McIlroy, the second favourite to win his seventh major, echoed similar sentiments. When asked how he wanted to be remembered in 100 years, McIlroy replied: 'I don't really care. I would like to think that the people that love and care about me think a certain way of me, but yeah, I'll be long gone. I'll be dead.'
Peace of mind
Scheffler, who has won only one event this season, insists his mind is at peace as he aims to retain the Claret Jug. 'I guess the point for me was figuring out your “why”,' he explained. 'Why am I doing this? Why do I want to win this tournament so badly? Why do I choose to play this sport for a living? I think that's when I'm at peace the most.'
McIlroy also stressed the importance of enjoying the process. 'I think it would be a pretty unfulfilling pursuit if you're just chasing records and chasing results,' he said. 'You have to enjoy the process. You have to enjoy the journey to get there. I've learned that the hard way at times by chasing results and chasing records too much.'
