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'When he smells blood, there is no other result': The ruthless efficiency of Scheffler
Ian Smith • July 21st, 2025 11:54 am
Photo: Ben Brady/INPHO
Ruthless efficiency. No, not the All Blacks, not the Lions, nor the Warriors.
That ruthless efficiency to take an opportunity - put your nose in front and snuff out any other possibility than you winning - that's Scottie Scheffler, again and again.
Now, just the US Open away from a career grand slam at age 29.
If Greg Norman was the Great White Shark, God only knows what specimen Scheffler is because when he smells blood, there is no other result.
It's his demeanour, his inner steel that gets me.
Tiger was a brilliant golfer, achieved all, ignited the world of golf - if not sport - but he fed off the crowd, he delighted in the atmosphere, the hype.
Scheffler appears oblivious to all of that. He lives around the golf course in a small bubble which includes his Tonto, caddie Ted Scott. And that's about it. And it's only when it's all said and done, and won, does he show any semblance of what we would call 'normal'.
This win on the back of saying he won't let his life be defined by golfing achievements. It's about family - admirable but again, unique. The world is invited into his game but not his being.
It sounds deep but it's also simple if you can possibly manage it.
That's what is so unique - with so much success, so often at the highest, hardest level - to stay seemingly unmoved and unaffected, while the rest of the globe simply marvels.
He's more grounded than the fairways and the greens that he conquers pretty much every day.
Rory is cool, Rory is phenomenal, but Scheffler is a phenomenon - his record says so.
It seems only boredom might stop this run and whilst most pros play well past their twilight through senior and champions tours, don't be surprised if Scottie Scheffler puts the clubs in the corner of the garage sooner rather than later and the lawnmower gets more use.
Incredibly, he just seems that kind of a guy. And just as the clubs gather dust, so will the many great trophies just like the ol' Claret Jug that he now owns. They're unlikely to be on show in the Scheffler household.
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