Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler’s relationship summed up by nine-word comment
Jordan Spieth has known Scottie Scheffler since they were kids and has previously lifted the lid on their relationship as they're both set to compete at The Open this week
The Open at Royal Troon is set to be a hotbed of competition, with golf giants like Spieth and Scheffler gearing up to do battle. Spieth has shared that the achievements of his friend and fellow countryman have incentivised him to play better. Scheffler, who has already claimed multiple titles this season, including the Travelers Championship, the Players Championship, and a second Masters crown, is now gunning for his seventh tournament win out of 11. His formidable form has seen him become one of the most respected players in the game.
Spieth, a former world number one and three-time major champion, hasn’t enjoyed the same success and faced a challenge this season due to a persistent wrist issue. The respect he holds for 28-year-old is without question, having previously admitted: “Like, I am inspired by what he is doing” when discussing Scheffler’s stunning success. Come Thursday, the duo will be sharing the green again as part of the same group at The Open. Their mutual residence in Dallas often sees them practicing together and Spieth, speaking to The Mail earlier this year, lauded Scheffler’s ball striking abilities by comparing him to the legendary Tiger Woods.
He also fondly pointed out that Scheffler is “a better person than he is a player,” reports the Express. “We all have ceilings and I believe his ball striking ceiling is higher than anyone that we’ve seen since Tiger,” he said. Spieth couldn’t help but sing the praises of Scheffler ahead of The Byron Nelson in May, reflecting on their shared history and his friend’s incredible talent. At a press conference earlier this season, Spieth said: “I have known Scottie since he was really, really young, I think he’s a better person than he is a player.
“Having known somebody and seen them come up and obviously went to University of Texas, I’m nothing but extremely excited and happy for him. It’s well deserved and all that.” he added. Discussing Scheffler’s meteoric ascent in the golfing world, Spieth shared his thoughts on how, despite their slight age difference, Scheffler inspires him to improve his own game. “On the flip side, like it’s kind of the first time I’ve ever looked at somebody younger than me and I’ve driven inspiration,” he said.
He continued, expressing admiration for his compatriot’s achievements: “Like I am inspired by what he is doing. It makes me want to go out and get better, and that’s always been someone that’s older than me. Kind of the first time I felt that way about somebody that’s younger.” Spieth also opened up about his early days with Scheffler, revealing that even as a youngster, the future Players Championship victor was already demonstrating the potential that he would eventually realize.
While preparing for the RBC Heritage tournament, Spith reminisced about his long-standing connection with Scheffler. “Scottie and I, we go back a long time. I remember playing against him way back,” he said. “I was probably 12 or 13 years old and he was 9 or 10. He was already a stud and he was beating me back then when he was 9 or 10. He’s an incredible talent.”
