Dear Keegan, ...

[mardukes]

A thread for unsolicited advice.

While it's a year away and I'm a big Scottie fan, there needs to be serious consideration for sitting Scheffler for the foursome sessions and "ranking" him somewhere down the roster below #1.

With complete, absolute respect I think his priorities are God, family, money before team.  I get the feeling he doesn't get that killer motivation going for the "Cups."

I would have definitely sat him for the second Saturday session of the Pres Cup EVEN with the hindsight of seeing him and Henley come back to win.

[fixyurdivot]

I wholeheartedly disagree.  If Scheffler earns a spot on the Ryder Cup team (it's a stretch I know), and is playing even close to his record the past two years, he's playing in every match... twice if I could figure out a way to pull it off.

His priorities are spot on and your inference that he somehow puts team in the backseat is way off IMO.  He loves competition and loves winning even more.  

[Josh Parker]

9 hours ago, fixyurdivot said:

I wholeheartedly disagree.  If Scheffler earns a spot on the Ryder Cup team (it's a stretch I know), and is playing even close to his record the past two years, he's playing in every match... twice if I could figure out a way to pull it off.

His priorities are spot on and your inference that he somehow puts team in the backseat is way off IMO.  He loves competition and loves winning even more.  

I agree. He loves to compete and loves to win. He's never going to be the loud and in your face. It just doesn't seem to be his personality.  

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Could not disagree more. He’s far and away the best player on the planet and second is a DISTANT second place. Call it a lack of emotion or however you want to say it, but he’s a cold blooded killer. I’m sorry, but it’s a laughable thought to not have him. 

You did watch him come back to win gold at the Olympics, correct? And if you watched that, you saw the emotion that overcame him hearing the national anthem on the winner’s podium with a gold medal around his neck, right? That response isn’t something you fake.

Playing for the USA means everything to that man. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

I get it, but Tiger was similar. 

You don't bench or sit the best player in the world. There is also something to be said about players elevating their games to their competition. 

Everyone Scottie plays knows they have to be awesome in order to best him, so he will always have the hardest matchups.

Keep him going and roll him out there as much as possible.

[GolfSpy_APH]

Going to add in, you mention his priorities like it is a bad thing. Maybe those priorities (if they are infact in that order) are exactly what makes him play as well as he does. Maybe him putting team higher up or more focuses means that his rhythm is out of sync or things are as normal. I just go back to him being easily the best player in the world right now. Xander is a very close 1B, but you don't sit your best player. 

[Shrek74]

Money before team? You're thinking of Cantlay, and hat-gate.

I don't know Scottie and never met him. But everything I've heard, seen, and read about him has me believe that money isn't even in the top 10 of priorities for him. One of the many reasons people love him and can relate to him. Yes, God and Family are his top priorities. That's how it should be for all of us. He loves playing for his country and teammates. His emotions at the Olympics should clear any confusion up about that.

Saying he loves money more than his country and his team is laughable.

[mardukes]

8 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Going to add in, you mention his priorities like it is a bad thing. Maybe those priorities (if they are infact in that order) are exactly what makes him play as well as he does. Maybe him putting team higher up or more focuses means that his rhythm is out of sync or things are as normal. I just go back to him being easily the best player in the world right now. Xander is a very close 1B, but you don't sit your best player. 

In fact, I said quite the opposite. I completely respect his priorities. But the facts of the situation are that he’s one and six in foursome play that we know of.  I would have to say that your guesses as to his attitude are not borne out by the facts.  Not to mention, he also lost his singles match — to a guy who had 3 three-putts.  
 

PS this thread isn’t about anybody’s opinion of Scottie exclusively.  This thread is advice to Keegan.

PPS and that one victory goes to Henley. Scottie stunk Saturday afternoon. 

Edited October 3 by mardukes

[GolfSpy_APH]

1 hour ago, mardukes said:

In fact, I said quite the opposite. I completely respect his priorities. But the facts of the situation are that he’s one and six in foursome play that we know of.  I would have to say that your guesses as to his attitude are not borne out by the facts.  Not to mention, he also lost his singles match — to a guy who had 3 three-putts.  
 

PS this thread isn’t about anybody’s opinion of Scottie exclusively.  This thread is advice to Keegan.

PPS and that one victory goes to Henley. Scottie stunk Saturday afternoon. 

He's still the number one player in the world. It may be what your suggesting, but I'm countering saying you don't bench your best player even if they have not entirely lived up to expectations.

If you have him, you play him. If your intention is to bench him then leave him at home (which won't happen because he will get in on points).

Gotta trust that your best players will be just that. Getting cute with this or that is going to call a lot more into question. Could even put more pressure on his replacement and mean they tank, down stream effects could be catastrophic.

[PrayingForPar]

I wonder what Tom Kim's take on Scottie not being "motivated" would be...

To get back to your OP of advice for Keegan, we just really need to figure out how to get Bryson on the US team for us to truly say we are putting our best team out there.

[mardukes]

On 10/3/2024 at 5:06 PM, GolfSpy_APH said:

He's still the number one player in the world. It may be what your suggesting, but I'm countering saying you don't bench your best player even if they have not entirely lived up to expectations.

If you have him, you play him. If your intention is to bench him then leave him at home (which won't happen because he will get in on points).

Gotta trust that your best players will be just that. Getting cute with this or that is going to call a lot more into question. Could even put more pressure on his replacement and mean they tank, down stream effects could be catastrophic.

He's the #1 PGATour tournament player in the world -- I love him.  I'm NOT leaving him in Texas.  I'm "resting" him during the foursomes.  And I'm putting him out in the 12 match on Sunday when I can say to him, "we need you NOW" or "no worries, we got this".

[RTH1]

If I recall correctly, Scottie was a captains pick in his first Ryder cup, had zero tour wins at the time, performed admirably for the team and gained the personnel confidence to propel him to #1. If he plays all the matches is really not dependent on rankings or past performance.

[CPP]

He's the deal, Scottie if he's still number one and in the top 6 is automatically qualified for the Ryder Cup. " Six players will automatically qualify for each team while the remaining half of each roster will be decided by captain's picks"

[mardukes]

3 hours ago, RTH1 said:

If I recall correctly, Scottie was a captains pick in his first Ryder cup, had zero tour wins at the time, performed admirably for the team and gained the personnel confidence to propel him to #1. If he plays all the matches is really not dependent on rankings or past performance.

Yes, and he was held out of the foursomes.  (singles winner and 1-0-1 in fourball)

All-time Ryder cup record
2021, 2023
Appearances
2 - 2 - 3
Overall Record
1 - 0 - 2
Four-Ball
0 - 2 - 0
Foursomes
1 - 0 - 1
Singles

Golf Digest 2022 Pres Cup review (foursomes 0-2): "Scottie Scheffler (0-3-1): F
Following an auspicious debut at the Ryder Cup (2½ points in three matches and a Sunday win over Jon Rahm) and a Player of the Year campaign (including winning the WGC-Dell Match Play), Scheffler was expected to be a bad man against the Internationals. But it’s Sunday night and Scheffler is in desperate need of a blanket and hot chocolate. Through the first three sessions the Internationals had just four points … 2½ of which came against Scheffler and Burns. He sat on Saturday afternoon and was seen practicing into the night at Quail Hollow. Whatever Scheffler was searching for he did not find, the World No. 1 losing to Sebastian Munoz in singles..."

We've already covered 2024 above.  The man needs to be on his own ball.

QED

[Zappix]

No one gets to be as good as SS without having a crazed need to win.  You don’t put in the work or make it through tournaments without having it in you

Edited Sunday at 02:48 AM by Zappix