Scottie Scheffler, while growing up, had a busy mom and a Lead Dad. The father would often stay home with little Scottie and his three sisters and drive the young golfer to practice and tournaments. But he never forced his son to be the best. Instead, he wanted his son to continue his education and simply… be a kind person. That’s the kind of environment the Scottie Scheffler we know today grew up in.

No wonder the golfer was ready to leave last year’s Masters right in the middle of the tournament if his pregnant wife, Meredith, went into labor. The couple, later on, welcomed their first child in May 2024 and named their son Bennett. Now, it has been just a bit over a year since they had their son, but Scheffler knows his priority. It’s his family!

That’s the reason, ahead of The Open Championship, he confessed: “I’m blessed to be come out here and play golf, but if my golf ever started affecting my home life or it ever affected the relationship I have with my wife or with my son, that’s gonna be the last day that I play out here for a living… This is not the be-all, end-all. This is not the most important thing in my life. And that’s why I wrestle with, ‘Why is this so important to me?’ Because I would much rather be a great father than I would be a great golfer.”

But on Thursday, Scottie Scheffler showed a little regret about opening up during Tuesday’s press conference. He said, “This week I’m trying to play good enough to win the golf tournament. I think I’ve made that pretty clear over the course of my career. As far as my comments or anything like that, Doug always asks too many questions, so I blame him. No, I mean, I think I try to be as honest as I can with y’all, with the stuff that I’m willing to kind of say. At times I feel like maybe I should be a little less honest. Maybe I shouldn’t have said the stuff I said yesterday because now I’m going to get asked about it more.

“But really it’s just a matter of perspective, and I’ve had some players come up to me and say that they feel and think the same things. If anybody has disagreed with me, they haven’t said it to my face yet, so I don’t know what the reaction would be. But overall just glad to be out playing golf and competing again.”

Scheffler’s previous point stands: Is there any point in winning, since it does not seem to satisfy in the long term? Golf is a sport that is individual in nature, and it can get lonely at the top. And Scheffler is not the only one with such feelings.

In 2024, for instance, Sepp Straka confessed, “It’s been nice to kind of go back and have a couple of your best friends there to just spend time with because it does get a little lonely on the road.” But that does not mean Scheffler is immune to the beauty of The Open Championship. He absolutely wants to win. Yet, being a dad will always come first. In fact, when he looks back at his own childhood, he is thankful for all the support he received from his family and especially his father. He intends to create a similar environment for his son.

What’s notable is that Scheffler’s introspection came across as lighthearted and inquiring, rather than desperate or troubled. His comments suggest he’s aware that his passion for golf stems from the journey itself, not just the trophies he wins. And that’s something that even the U.S. Open champ, Justin Rose, can agree on.

Justin Rose says Scottie Scheffler’s take was “relatable”

With an impressive career marked by major victories and consistent excellence, Justin Rose stands out as one of his generation’s top golfers. His achievements include reaching the world No. 1 ranking, claiming the 2013 U.S. Open title at Merion, and representing Europe in six Ryder Cups. Despite his successes, Rose has also faced heartbreak, finishing runner-up in the Masters three times, including a playoff loss to Rory McIlroy this April.

But when he heard what Scottie Scheffler had to say about his career and more, he replied on Thursday at The Open, “I mean, it was a cool take to hear what Scottie was saying. Obviously, he’s got the rest of his life so well in order, and his priorities, and obviously his family and faith and all those things. He’s got those rocks in place in his life, and it kind of was cool to see that golf obviously is what he loves to do, but doesn’t define him. It was great to hear, quite honestly.

“Yeah, for sure I’ve been in that similar situation in terms of getting to World No. 1. It’s something you strive and strive and strive and strive for, and you achieve it and you’re like, oh, okay, it’s not necessarily what you imagine it to be, but the work and the journey to get there is the thrill. That’s the exciting part.”

Scottie Scheffler’s candid reflections on balancing his career and family life at The Open will probably inspire more pros to open up. And that’s a good thing – it will help the golf world see them as more than just golfers, but as humans with complexities and depth. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.