Scottie Scheffler may be the current face of golf, but according to him, the foundation of his success can be traced back to one unlikely round with Tiger Woods.

Speaking ahead of the Tour Championship in Atlanta, where he enters as the clear favorite to defend his FedEx Cup crown, the world No. 1 reflected on how his breakthrough started years earlier.

The turning point, Scheffler said, came at the 2020 Masters when he was paired with Woods on the final day. Neither player was in contention, yet the experience reshaped how Scheffler thought about competition.

Main points Scheffler shared:

• Early in his career, he struggled to put himself in winning positions despite several top finishes.

• Playing with Woods at Augusta showed him what true intensity looks like, even when a title is out of reach.

• Tiger’s approach to every shot as if it were decisive inspired Scheffler to bring the same focus to every round.

• This shift in mindset fueled his breakout 2022 season and the dominant run that followed.

“I admired the intensity he brought to every shot,” Scheffler explained. “We were in 20th place, he had no chance to win, and yet he treated every hole like it mattered. That stuck with me. If I’m going to show up to play, then I owe it to myself to give it everything.”

That perspective proved decisive. A few months later, Scheffler broke through at the WM Phoenix Open in 2022 and went on a historic run, capturing the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Dell Match Play, and his first Masters title. Since then, he has added 14 PGA Tour wins, four majors, and an Olympic gold medal.

Despite comparisons to Woods, Scheffler is quick to deflect. “I think it’s silly to compare me to Tiger. He stands alone. But playing that one round with him changed how I view the game.”

The lesson Scheffler took from Woods is now his trademark: no shots off, no rounds off, no tournaments off. It is a standard that has made him not only the top-ranked player but also the benchmark for consistency on tour.