Scottie Scheffler wins second Masters, says Christ, not golf, defines him

Scottie Scheffler, the top-ranked golfer and two-time Masters champion, would rather be defined by his faith than his fame.

With all eyes on Scheffler at last weekend’s Masters tournament, which the 27-year-old won by four strokes, he made it clear that golf doesn’t define him. To Scheffler, what ultimately defines him is his relationship with Jesus.

“Hopefully [golf] doesn’t define me too much. It’s just something that I do, but it doesn’t define me as a person,” Scheffler said during a press conference ahead of the Masters. “I’m a faithful guy. I believe in a Creator. I believe in Jesus. Ultimately, I think that’s what defines me the most.” 

Scheffler had the shortest odds of winning any major since Tiger Woods in 2013 and has never finished outside of the top 20 in his four Masters appearances. He tied for 10^th last year and won the tournament in 2022.

Despite his relatively quick rise to the top in the sport, Scheffler isn’t just focused on delivering the same results. More than anything, Scheffler said that his emphasis is on working hard to be able to give God the glory. 

“I feel like I’ve been given a platform to compete and show my talent,” he said. “It’s not anything that I did … I’ve been called to come out here, do my best, compete, and glorify God.” 

For Scheffler’s game, the Masters couldn’t have come at a better time, as the current best golfer in the world is playing some of the best golf of his career. He has won two of the last three tournaments he played, and came in second in a third tournament.

Scheffler’s consistent message throughout his time in the spotlight has been focused on finding identity in Christ.

Following his 2022 Masters win, Scheffler appeared on the “Golf. Life. Faith.” podcast and spoke extensively on the subject. 

In his official press conference during the Masters tournament that year, the message was the same: golf doesn’t define him, Christ does. 

“The reason why I play golf is because I’m trying to glorify God and all that He’s done in my life and so for me, my identity isn’t a golf score,” he said. “Jesus loves you, and nothing changes that, and all I’m trying to do is glorify God, and that’s why I’m here, and that’s why I’m in this position. So for me, it’s not about golf.” 

Scheffler added that his wife prays for him before he hits the course, asking the Lord for peace.  

“Meredith always prays for peace because that’s what I want to feel when I’m out there on the golf course,” he said. “I want to feel peace and have fun and just feel His presence, and so that’s her prayer every day, and I really felt that today.”