Remember when Scottie Scheffler was the nice, wholesome world number one everyone adored? Well, those days might be temporarily on hold. He recently created an uncomfortable atmosphere that left journalists literally speechless—and not in a good way. 

So what exactly happened? At The PLAYERS Championship, where Scheffler struggled to a disappointing T20 finish, his frustration boiled over in ways few expected. Gabby Herzig witnessed it firsthand and shared the uncomfortable experience on The Fried Egg Golf Podcast.

Scottie Scheffler has been snarky with the media

“Scottie Scheffler is in a mood and I’m scared,” Herzig candidly admitted. “I was out there for a few holes here and there with Scottie and he was pissed.” This marked a stark departure from the composed demeanor fans typically associate with the Olympic gold medalist.

The frustration likely stems from Scheffler’s uncharacteristic winless start to 2025. After dominating with back-to-back Players Championship victories and Olympic gold in 2024, his return from a Christmas hand injury has yielded just three top-11 finishes in five events—well below the lofty standards he set for himself.

Tension reached an uncomfortable peak during a press conference. Herzig described a scene where Scheffler approached the microphone and approximately 30 journalists remained completely silent for 10-15 seconds—asking no questions. “No one wants to ask a question,” she explained. Scheffler finally broke the awkward silence himself, saying, “So I’ll make a statement,” before someone finally mustered the courage to speak. She admitted that this kind of interaction is “indicative of people being fearful of asking him a question.”

Herzig didn’t mince words about Scheffler’s media interactions while describing them. “Some of these interactions that he’s had with reporters recently have been sassy, I would call them snarky,” she emphasized, adding that while Scheffler has always had “a sense of humor” and be “a sarcastic guy,” these recent responses were “one step further than that.” The stark contrast between his previous wholesome image and current demeanor has left media members walking on eggshells.

His on-course behavior has also raised eyebrows, with Herzig noting, “He has this outburst once in every while after a bad shot” and adding, “For a while we just thought Scotty was like this nice, wholesome world number one, and he’s got some fire in him, I will tell you that.“

There have been a few occurrences when we saw Scheffler’s outburst on the greens. In 2024, at the US Open, he threw his club in the air on Friday. Also, during the PGA Tour’s BMW Championship, Scheffler’s frustration boiled over after he hit his second shot into the water at the 10th hole of Denver’s Castle Pines Golf Club. The usually composed golfer was caught on camera asking his caddy, “How? How is that possible?” before dropping an F-bomb on live TV.

At WM Phoenix Open 2025, Scheffler was 2 under par for the round midway in the third round. After what was a very disappointing shot on the 15th, Scheffler approached his TaylorMade bag and then struck it once with the club, toppling it over. This was yet another display of not meeting the standards he had set for himself.

Yet Scheffler’s behavior, concerning as it may be, represents just one example of a troubling trend sweeping through the PGA Tour’s top ranks. 

Morikawa’s media boycott fuels growing tension

Just days earlier, Collin Morikawa ignited a firestorm by skipping mandatory media obligations after his heartbreaking collapse at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he lost a three-stroke lead with five holes remaining.

When questioned about his media snub at The Players Championship, Morikawa doubled down with a startling declaration: “I don’t owe anyone anything. No offense to you guys, but for me in the moment of that time, I didn’t want to be around anyone.” His comments immediately drew criticism from golf’s old guard.

Champions Tour veteran Rocco Mediate delivered the harshest critique on his SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio show, calling Morikawa’s behavior “the dumbest, most selfish garbage you could ever say.” Mediate invoked Arnold Palmer’s legacy, claiming “Mr. Palmer would’ve hunted him down” over such disrespect to media obligations.

Instead of letting the controversy subside, Morikawa escalated tensions after shooting an impressive 7-under 65 in the second round at TPC Sawgrass. “To the Brandel Chamblees, to the Paul McGinleys, to the Rocco Mediates of the world, I don’t regret anything I said,” he defiantly stated, further widening the divide between players and media.

Will this trend continue, or will golf’s biggest stars find ways to balance competitive frustration with professional media obligations? Only time will tell, but one thing’s certain—the days of the universally agreeable golf superstar might be fading into the rough.