Scottie Scheffler was so scared of Tiger Woods he “ran away” when they first met, reveals his father
Scottie Scheffler's 2024 season has been one for the ages. It has been compared to many of the best seasons from Tiger Woods' prime. When he was young, Scheffler couldn't even be in the presence of the legendary golfer. According to Scheffler's father, Woods scared the current world number one so much that he ran away.
Scheffler and his father embarked on a trip down memory lane that the PGA Tour provided footage of. In the video, Scheffler's dad said:
"This was Tiger at the US Open, who you ran away from. You got inside the ropes and he came at you and you ran under the ropes, because you were afraid. And now you know Tiger, so."
Scheffler was very young at the time, but Woods has been playing for long enough that the two golfers have now competed against one another a few times and have a friendly relationship.
Woods doesn't compete very often anymore, but when he does, he's usually in the field with Scheffler. The 15-time major winner competed against Scheffler at the Masters, PGA Championship, US Open, and Open Championship this year, as well as briefly (before Woods withdrew) at the Genesis Invitational.
Max Homa on what sets Scottie Scheffler and Tiger Woods apart
Until Scottie Scheffler stops winning and playing so well, he will get compared to Tiger Woods. Even though it's hard to compare their careers, it happens all the time. Max Homa, a player who's competed with and against both of them, sees something beyond the results that connects them.
He shared a story of how Woods once hit a bad drive while playing with him, but rebounded to nail the next shot almost as perfectly as possible.
He said via Golf.com that it's the ability to separate from the result and focus solely on the process that sets Woods and Scheffler apart:
“And it just seems like those two guys from what I hear in their interviews and what I’ve seen, I guess with Tiger, it’s just they just pick the shot and they are absolutely into that. And that is such a hard thing to do over and over and over again. And it is as great a skill as whatever Scottie is the best at."
Both players are often able to bounce back from mistakes without having them compound, and Homa said that speaks to their true talent. Tiger Woods and Scottie Scheffler are both excellent golfers, and their strong mental game also works well for them.