Scottie Scheffler hails influence of Tiger Woods after winning first major title

Scottie Scheffler hailed the influence of Tiger Woods after claiming his first major title in impressive style in the 86th Masters at Augusta National.
Woods was completing his second consecutive 78 as the final pairing of Scheffler and Cameron Smith teed off on Sunday, the 46-year-old understandably struggling over the weekend in his first top-level event since suffering severe injuries in a car accident 14 months ago.
The 15-time major winner received a standing ovation as he made his way to the 18th green and his impact on the current generation cannot be underestimated.
Standing ovation for @TigerWoods.pic.twitter.com/rq3B4n7NLu
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 10, 2022
“Oh, yeah,” Scheffler said when asked if he had been influenced by Woods. “I played Tiger’s irons, wore his shoes, wore his shirt this week.
“Tiger on the golf course is just ridiculous. He’s done so much for the game of golf. I spoke about it a little bit at the beginning of the week, we are so glad to have him back out here.
“He is the needle for the game of golf. He has completely changed the PGA Tour from when he came on 25 years ago.
“And his YouTube clips are such an inspiration for me. I remember watching the highlights of him winning (the Masters) in ’97, kind of running away with it, and he never really broke his concentration.

“That’s something that I reminded myself of today (Sunday). I tried not to look up. I tried to keep my head down and just keep doing what I was doing because I didn’t want to break my concentration.
“The minute I did was on 18 green when I finally got on there and I had a five-shot lead and was like, all right, now I can enjoy this. And you saw the results of that.”
That was a reference to Scheffler four-putting the 72nd hole, an aberration which meant he recorded a closing 71 to finish 10 under par, three shots ahead of an inspired Rory McIlroy, who equalled the lowest final round in tournament history with a 64.
It was Scheffler’s fourth win in just 57 days, the 25-year-old American claiming his maiden PGA Tour title in Phoenix in February and then adding the Arnold Palmer Invitational and WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play titles to become world number one.
Scottie Scheffler’s last six tournaments:
WM Phoenix Open 🏆Genesis Invitational T7Arnold Palmer 🏆The Players T55WGC Match Play 🏆#TheMasters 🏆
What. A. Run. pic.twitter.com/QmABAW6bKS
— GolfBet (@GolfBet) April 10, 2022
Scheffler was born in New Jersey but raised mainly in Texas, the family moving to Dallas when his mother Diane, chief operating officer of a large law firm, switched jobs.
They quickly decided to join Royal Oaks Country Club, mostly because it meant stay-at-home dad Scott Scheffler could keep all four kids – Scottie has three sisters – in one place.
“It wasn’t unusual for me,” Scheffler said of the arrangement. “I didn’t know any different. Fortunately for me I grew up with three sisters and my dad was there, and he did a great job raising us. Both my parents I think would do anything for any of us.”
It was playing at Royal Oaks which inspired Scheffler to pursue a career in golf, following in the footsteps of fellow members Justin Leonard – the 1997 Open champion – and former PGA Tour player turned commentator Colt Knost.
A week full of storylines ended with just one – Scheffler shining in his Green Jacket. #themasters pic.twitter.com/6vc7qC6R6j
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 11, 2022
“I grew up around so many guys out there, just watching them and learning from them,” Scheffler said.
“I wore pants (long trousers) when I was a kid at Royal Oaks because I wanted to play golf on the PGA Tour. I would wear pants and a collared shirt to third grade class and get made fun of – rightfully so.
“I always wanted to be out here and I never expected it. I never expected to be sitting where I am now. You don’t expect things to come to you in this life. You just do the best that you can and with the hand you’re dealt and just go from there.
“I never really thought I was that good at golf, so I just kept practicing and kept working hard, and that’s just what I’m going to keep doing.”
Latest
-
European Tour
England’s Matt Wallace moves into contention at halfway stage of Dutch Open
A second round of 67 at Bernardus Golf gave Wallace a halfway total of eight under par and left him two shots behind Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia.
-
News
Rory McIlroy sees last week’s US PGA Championship as ‘one that got away’
He held a one-shot lead after an opening five-under-par 65 at Southern Hills.
-
PGA Tour
Justin Thomas switches focus to Texas after ‘unfathomable’ US PGA win
The former world number one won the championship for a second time on Sunday.
-
PGA Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick: Falling short at US PGA Championship ‘hurts a hell of a lot’
Fitzpatrick carded a closing three-over-par 73 to miss out on the play-off between eventual winner Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris by two shots.
-
PGA Championship
Justin Thomas pays tribute to caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay after his US PGA victory
Phil Mickelson’s former bagman gave Thomas a crucial pep talk after he shot 74 on Saturday.
-
PGA Championship
Tommy Fleetwood confident he is ‘coming out the other side’ after dip in form
Fleetwood finished in a tie for fifth at the US PGA Championship.
-
PGA Championship
Emotional Justin Thomas credits his experience for US PGA victory
Thomas also won the 2017 US PGA at Quail Hollow.
-
PGA Championship
Justin Thomas eclipses Will Zalatoris in play-off to claim second US PGA title
The former world number one’s victory equalled the biggest comeback in US PGA history.
-
PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy’s Sunday charge at US PGA Championship ends in disappointment
McIlroy’s closing 68 in Tulsa was followed by him declining to speak to waiting reporters.
-
PGA Championship
Paul McGinley says Tiger Woods deserves better than to be a ‘ceremonial golfer’
The 46-year-old withdrew from a major championship for the first time in his professional career at Southern Hills.