SAN DIEGO — Scottie Scheffler has gotten so used to winning that his 6-under 66 on Sunday to finish tied for third at the Genesis Invitational isn’t quite good enough for the top-ranked player in the world.
“I think I feel pretty bad about where I’m at,” Scheffler said when asked about his performance since returning from right hand surgery that sidelined him for the PGA Tour’s first four weeks. “I’m trying to stay patient with myself, which can be tough because I have high expectations.”
After winning eight times on Tour in 2024, including the Masters, there was much anticipation for Scheffler’s debut this year. But after injuring his hand with a wine glass while making homemade ravioli at Christmas and needing surgery, Scheffler could not play at The Sentry in Hawaii or The American Express in Palm Springs — two of his usual tour stops.
Scheffler made his season debut at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am where he finished tied for ninth and followed that with a tie for 25th at the Waste Management Open in Phoenix. At Torrey Pines this week, Scheffler was in the mix until the final hole, where an eagle would have given him a tie with the then-clubhouse lead of 11-under. But he settled for his eighth birdie of the day.
A tie for third in a signature event is no small feat. But any success, Scheffler said, has been despite not feeling in midseason form yet.
“I didn’t have my best stuff this week and I still found a way to give myself a chance,” Scheffler said. “It’s not easy to come out here and play competitive golf at a high level and get right back to where I was last year.”
It’s a testament to his sheer talent and successful 2024 season that anything short of a win feels like a missed opportunity. This week, Scheffler’s third round, which featured three bogeys and an uncharacteristic double bogey on his way to a 76, was the culprit.
“I feel like I pressed a bit too much and paid the price for it,” Scheffler said of his Saturday round. “I think it’s just a constant battle within yourself to stay patient and stay patient with the golf course, especially when I’m pressing coming from behind.”
Whether with his recovery, getting back to playing like the best player in the world or how he handles a round, Scheffler attested that it’s not always easy practicing what he’s preaching. He is his toughest critic.
“I think when I get out here and start competing, I definitely forget that I had lost some of the progress I made in the offseason,” Scheffler said. “I’m trying to give myself a little bit of grace and some patience, kind of getting back into the swing of things.”
So far, Scheffler has tried to balance the desire to kick his game into peak gear while realizing he might need more time to build up to form. And yet, the fact that Scheffler was a few putts, entering Sunday, from a win bodes well for where Scheffler is headed next: The Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, The Players’ Championship and Augusta — three tournaments where he will enter as the defending champion and the favorite.