FARMINGDALE, NY — Scottie Scheffler is downplaying the disappointment as he prepares for another Ryder Cup. But when the No. 1 player in the world is reduced to tears — and not because he is overwhelmed with joy — in an event watched globally, it’s not easily forgotten.
Two years ago, during their foursomes match at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, Scheffler and Jupiter’s Brooks Koepka walked off the course after 11 holes, having lost the most lopsided match Ryder Cup history to Norway’s Viktor Hovland and Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, 9 and 7.
Two Ryder Cup matches have ended 8 and 7, and three closed 7 and 6 in history. But never has anyone — in singles, foursomes or fourballs — been embarrassed the way Koepka and Scheffler were.
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Scheffler finished the weekend winless, with two halves and two losses, a big reason the U.S. never had a chance, losing to the Europeans 16.5-11.5 in a Ryder Cup that was not as close as that final score indicates.
As the world No. 1, the U.S. needed more out of Scheffler that weekend. And it does even more so this week when the competition starts Sept. 26.
In fact, the U.S. should look at what Europe’s highest ranked player did in 2023 and expect Scheffler to carry a similar burden.
Rory McIlroy played all five sessions in 2023 and was 4-1-0, compiling more points than any player on either side.
“I don’t think it can be understated how difficult of a week Rome was for us,” Scheffler said three days ahead of the start of this year’s event.
“I think we could have done better for sure. That wasn’t how I expected the week to go. I think we learned from it, and we’re as prepared as ever this time.”
Following the match in which Scheffler and Koepka had four double bogeys, five bogeys and two pars, Scheffler was seen being consoled by his wife, Meredith, with tears in his eyes.
Scheffler was asked if being humiliated will provide any more motivation this year.
“I don’t know if motivation is really the right word,” he said. “I think you can learn from your wins and your losses.”
But he was a bit more forthcoming when asked about that Ryder Cup match two weeks ago at the Procore Championship.
“It hurt a little bit because I didn’t feel like I was as prepared as I could have been,” he said. “So going into this cup, I’ve put a lot of work into my game over the last couple years to get ready and to go play this event.”
Scottie Scheffler approaching $57M in prize money since Rome
That work has turned into legendary results. Since that Rome disappointment, Scheffler made 39 starts in 2024 and 2025, winning 13 and finishing in the top 10 in all but six.
That’s 33-of-39 top 10s. Many players would take that percentage of cuts made.
Oh, and he’s approaching $57 million in prize money during that span while his consecutive weeks streak at No. 1 in the world has topped 120.
“I think you can always learn from those experiences,” he said. “And I think that would be the best way that I could describe it, is how much I learned from the experience in Rome, how much I learned from the experience at Whistling Straits, and I feel like I have a large bank of knowledge over the course of my career that I can use to my advantage, especially when things get tough.”
Scheffler made his Ryder Cup debut in 2021 at Whistling Straights in Wisconsin. He was 2-0-1.
The U.S. needs that Scottie Scheffler this week, plus a couple more wins.
“I feel like he has high expectations for himself, and it doesn’t matter if he’s playing a nine-hole game for fun at home or if he’s playing in a major,” said teammate Russell Henley, the player who may be paired with Scheffler in foursomes on Day 1.
“I feel like he holds himself to the same standard. He wants to play great. He wants to win. I don’t think it matters what the situation is. I think that’s just how he’s wired.”
Tom D’Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Scottie Scheffler was humiliated at last Ryder Cup. Now, US needs him to lead it to victory
Reporting by Tom D’Angelo, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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