Scottie Scheffler opens up on parents. And how mom never asked 1 question

TL;DR

Scottie Scheffler reflects on his parents' influence, particularly how his mother never asked him about his golf scores. He shares a story from when he was 12, focusing on a junior qualifying event.

Key points

Scottie Scheffler reflects on his parents' influence.
His mother never asked about his golf scores.
He recalled a junior qualifying event at age 12.
His father prioritized family over tournament participation.
The story connects to the ongoing PGA Championship week.

Scottie Scheffler on Tuesday at Aronimink Golf Club.Getty Images

Scottie Scheffler is talking about scores.

This is PGA Championship week, after all, but this story is about a junior event he’d played in when he was 12. It was a qualifying event, he explained, and you could either take your result and enter that week’s main tournament, or use it in the future. But Scheffler’s dad, Scott, didn’t make it an either/or proposition. His son could play only in the qualifier. No tournament that week. The family had to be somewhere.

Deal. Scott dropped off Scottie. Scottie played. Scottie called him when it was over.

“He goes, ‘I don’t like this. This is not something I want to hear,’” the younger Scheffler said Tuesday at Aronimink Golf Club, the PGA’s host. “I said, ‘Well, dad, I won the qualifier.’ So if I win the qualifier, I get into the tournament, and I get to save the exemption. So I’m like, I got to play in the tournament.

“He’s like, ‘Scottie, I told you, you can’t play in the tournament. I’m like, ‘But dad, I won.’”

Of course, he’d remember that story.

He was just listening to his mother.

Scheffler had been asked in his pre-PGA press conference for advice for young golfers and their parents, and he said his parents never pushed him. They’d drop him off with coach Randy Smith, and he was off.

“I think there were more important things for them than my golf game,” Scheffler said. “I think growing up, especially when you look at youth sports today, I think you see a lot of parents that are overzealous. That’s not from a place where they don’t care. I think they want their kids to have success. I think they want them to do well. I think sometimes pushing them towards something is the best way to do it.

“Maybe it isn’t in some cases, but I think I did my best when my parents would drop me off at the golf course and let me do my thing. One of the first things that Randy taught my dad is when Scottie gets to the golf course, he takes his own bag off the golf cart, he sets up his own area. He doesn’t need you out there, this is his thing. I think they did a good job of guiding me along, helping me when I need help, but not pushing me to be anything other than a good student and a good person. It wasn’t all about golf with them.”

Q&A

What did Scottie Scheffler say about his mother and golf?

Scottie Scheffler mentioned that his mother never asked him about his golf scores, highlighting her supportive but hands-off approach.

What junior event did Scottie Scheffler participate in at age 12?

Scottie Scheffler participated in a junior qualifying event when he was 12 years old, which allowed him to enter a future tournament based on his performance.

How did Scottie Scheffler's father influence his early golf career?

Scottie Scheffler's father, Scott, decided that his son could only participate in the qualifying event and not the main tournament that week, emphasizing family commitments.

What is the significance of the PGA Championship week for Scottie Scheffler?

The PGA Championship week is significant for Scottie Scheffler as it marks a major tournament week, contrasting with his early experiences in junior golf.