Scottie Scheffler plays down Grand Slam pressure ahead of US Open
World number one Scottie Scheffler insists that completing the career Grand Slam is not a motivating factor ahead of this week’s US Open at Shinnecock Hills.
The 29-year-old enters the tournament as the overwhelming favourite to secure his fifth major title.
Victory in New York would see the four-time major champion complete a historic career sweep on his 30th birthday.
He claimed both the PGA Championship and The Open last season to set up this landmark opportunity.
Focusing on execution over history
Despite the mounting anticipation, the American remains determined to avoid placing unnecessary expectations on his performance.
“Would it be a dream to win the US Open? Of course, but at the end of the day, the Grand Slam has never been a motivating factor for me,” Scheffler said.
“I always just wanted to be the best version of myself and that got me this far.”
The current ranking leader has enjoyed a stellar campaign, recording top-three finishes in six of his 12 worldwide starts.
Managing external expectations
His recent form includes a runner-up finish to Rory McIlroy at The Masters, adding to a remarkable streak of top-10 finishes in 11 of his last 14 major appearances.
“If I finish second this week, it’s almost like ‘hey, you failed in your first chance to win the career Grand Slam’. Is finishing second a failure?” he explained.
“Yeah, it can feel that way, but sometimes when you look at a wider view of the sport and where your game’s at, second is not always that bad – but man, does it frickin’ hurt at the same time.”
The reigning Open champion acknowledged the impossible task of satisfying public demands as a professional athlete.
“A little bit of the fallacy in our sport is like, if I win the US Open then I’m going to be satisfied… but I think the goal posts are always just moving.”
