How pliable is Scottie Scheffler? If tomorrow the sponsors want to revamp the FedEx Cup schedule à la Capital One’s ‘The Match’, will he be open to that? What if SSG decides to change the purse size as well? The World No. 1 accepted the possibility of that happening. The nuances didn’t elude him either.

Scheffler emphasized he would play some tournaments regardless of sponsors’ demands. Or, the purse size. He would tee off at the Masters even if they didn’t pay anything. “I do not care what you pay me for winning the Masters. I really don’t.”

But Scheffler, whose net worth is north of $50 million per NBC, does draw a line between driving ROI for sponsors and satisfying his inner competitive self. At the end of the day, his job is to win and not follow a script to entertain the audience.

The world no. 1 observed, “Sports is entertainment, but at the end of the day I still stand on the side of the fence of my golf clubs will always be my entertainment. If you want to come watch me play golf, that’s what we’re going to see. If you’re showing up you’re going to watch me play golf. I’m not going to go out on the first tee and do dances and celebrate like crazy.”

Golf – The Masters – Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia, U.S. – April 14, 2024 Scottie Scheffler of the U.S. celebrates on the 18th green after winning The Masters REUTERS/Mike Segar TPX IMAGES OF THE DAYWhile that takes care of the money, what about the format? What happens if it comes out that in the chart of evolution, golf needs to move in a direction diametrically opposed to how it is now? Well, Scheffler is not one to stop the rolling wheel of change. 

Scottie Scheffler accepts the ‘shortcomings’ of golf

Scottie Scheffler admits that “there’s no perfect system” of golf that always recognizes the best player on the field. There is never going to be a perfect format that rewards the player who plays well throughout the four rounds. If that were the case, perhaps Greg Norman would’ve had a Green Jacket.

Scheffler is aware of the nuances, and the predicament that comes with it. “A lot of times in golf the guy that plays the best may not even win that week. In terms of little bounces, it’s a fickle game,” the two-time major winner added in the pre-tournament media interaction.

Regardless, it’s no surprise that Scheffler feels ‘72 holes of stroke play is the best format’ for a professional tournament.  But if a sponsor wants to spice up things a bit, world no. 1 is okay with that, as long as the tournament remains seriously competitive.

So, money doesn’t matter; what’s important is competitiveness. Scheffler joked that the thought of paying out someone—be it $5 or $500 after a match—is not the most entertaining for him. “That’s just not in my blood. I want to win, whether we’re playing ping-pong or whatever it is. Whatever the format, I’m going to show up and try and do my best. That’s really all it is.”

So, Scottie Scheffler will play no matter what the format is, when the tournament is played, or how much or less the sponsor is willing to cough up. Just make sure it’s worth his time and legacy.