In the realm of golf, the name Scottie Scheffler is synonymous with consistency and solid gameplay. But that wasn’t the case during the third round of the Players Championship. The world number one player, known for his measured approach, made an uncharacteristic move that likely cost him a shot at history.
Scheffler walked into the weekend on a high note with an impressive 69 (-3) and 70 (-2) performance during Thursday and Friday’s rounds. His performance placed him in an advantageous position to contend for the tournament’s coveted trophy and possibly match the record held by golf legend, Jack Nicklaus, for the most Players Championship victories (three). However, a series of unfortunate errors on the back nine on Saturday put him seven steps behind the 54-hole leader, J.J. Spaun.
The moment that spelled doom for Scheffler was at the par-5 16th hole at TPC Sawgrass. His tee shot veered left, landing in the pine needles behind a row of trees. Instead of opting for a safer play, Scheffler threw caution to the wind and attempted a daring hook shot. Unfortunately, this bold move didn’t pay off. Scheffler ended up in the rough, resulting in a bogey on what is considered one of the easiest holes on the course.
Golf experts Paul McGinley and Nick Dougherty, watching the scene unfold, could hardly believe what they were witnessing. McGinley, expressing his disbelief on Sky Sports Golf, commented, “Is he going for it? I don’t know what he was trying to do there… It’s not in the water, but it’s a long way short of the green.”
Echoing McGinley’s sentiment, Dougherty suggested that Scheffler’s move was born out of desperation. “He was trying to force the issue,” he stated. McGinley agreed, adding, “We’re not seeing a controlled, measured, focused approach we normally do from him. That’s a Seve-esque kind of shot to pull off, not a Scottie Scheffler style.”
While comparisons to golf great Seve Ballesteros would generally be considered flattering, in this context, it pointed to Scheffler straying from his typical gameplay.
This shift in Scheffler’s playing style has also led McGinley and Dougherty to question his mental fortitude. “He’s not the usual Scottie Scheffler between the ears,” Dougherty observed during the third round at The Players. McGinley concurred, stating, “There just seems to be more of an impatience, [he’s] a bit more impetuous, banging the clubs… we’ve seen a little of that and we didn’t see any of that last year. He’s just not in the same mindset that he was.”
Despite his top 20 standing, Scheffler’s growing frustration both at Sawgrass and in previous tournaments in the 2025 season is becoming a point of concern. While it’s not a crisis, it’s a development worth monitoring. In a sport where mental fortitude is equally as crucial as physical prowess, maintaining a level-headed approach is key to ensuring success. Scheffler’s unexpected departure from his usual stoic demeanor raises questions about what the rest of the season might hold for the world number one golfer.