THE RYDER CUP

September 21, 2021

Scottie Scheffler

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back to the 43rd Ryder Cup here at Whistling Straits. We are joined by Scottie Scheffler. Welcome to your first career Ryder Cup. It's been two weeks since you were named to this team, give or take. Is that enough time for it to sink in, and what did you do in those two weeks to really prepare to be here both mentally and on the golf course.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I would say to prepare mentally I took a few days off after the Playoffs and the long season that we had. I was a little bit worn out, so I had to take a little bit of time.

It was nice getting that phone call and having some good motivation to go out and practice again.

My year didn't finish off how I hoped that it would, and so to have an opportunity to come here and represent our country and play well is really exciting.

I mean, I just prepared like I would any other major golf tournament, nothing crazy, just my usual prep.

Q. Just curious with Bryson here a minute ago, obviously you know he's been a bit of a polarizing figure out here and you've known him longer than some of the guys on the team. What's your impression of how he's been treated kind of publicly on the outside and the perceptions that are out there?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, the perceptions are around him, it's whatever the public creates. I think everybody has an opinion on him. I have an opinion on him, as well. I think he's a fantastic guy. Like I said, I've known him since college. He's always been nothing but gracious and kind to me, and he means really well.

I think sometimes people take little tidbits of what he says and try and beat him down a little bit, and I think that's kind of what happens in sports is people get built up and then they get torn down once they reach the top.

I think it's something you've seen for a long time. It's something you saw -- like I watched The Last Dance -- I've watched The Last Dance a couple of times, and it's something you saw with Jordan, as well.

When people make it really big like Bryson has, I think some people try and tear him down a little bit. Fantastic guy, he's got a heart, and I really have nothing but good things to say about him.

Q. Jordan made the point that there really aren't rookies on Team USA because of all the experience winning Olympics and playing in other team competitions. You are the true real rookie. What advice have you been getting from your teammates and maybe other people ahead of this event?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I mean, the vice captains and Steve have been really helpful, as well as just the guys on the team.

I would say I am the only true rookie. I've played a Presidents Cup before, but I don't feel like that. I feel like I belong on this team. The guys have done a really great job of making me feel like I belong.

I feel like if I showed up on this team and either didn't have friends or the guys weren't being nice to me it would feel a lot different, but I feel like it's been a seamless transition for me being on this team. The guys have been nothing but kind.

I think also the top six or the guys who knew they were going to be on the team had a lot of input in the selection process. It wasn't just the PGA of America or Steve making the call, it was the guys on the team.

So for me just having their kind of vote of confidence for me is fantastic. I feel a part of the team.

Q. I was going to ask you in terms of getting together with the team for the first time, how is the experience different here than it was at the Walker Cup in terms of fitting in and that kind of stuff?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I think at the Walker Cup it was different because we were all the same age. Like here there's a little bit of an age gap. And here the wives and girlfriends are really involved, which I think is fun.

At the Walker Cup it was really just the 10 guys -- I think it was a 10-guy team. It was really just us and the captain. That was pretty much it in the team room. It was a little different environment here. There's a little bit more going on.

I think with everybody's wives being there it's very comfortable for everybody just to be in the team room hanging out, wives, girlfriends all getting to know each other as well as -- I would say that's probably better -- the wives and girlfriends get to know each other because they don't see each other on a daily basis, because we do.

I've seen these 11 guys at the same events for the past two years, so I know all of them pretty well, but our wives don't necessarily know each other.

Q. Was there ever a concern of you fitting in? Not a concern, but were you curious how that would take place?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Fitting in, not really. Yeah, not really, I guess.

Q. You're incredibly even keeled so I'm trying to imagine what it looks like when you get really excited. If you can go back to the moment where you figured out you would be a captain's pick, was there an expression of joy? Did you feel joy? What was that like?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I think it's funny people would say I'm not emotional because my wife would say the complete opposite. I cry a decent amount. I'm actually a pretty emotional guy. For me when I got the call it was pretty similar. I was just waiting at home with the phone basically the entire day. One of my best friends from high school came over. We were catching up and just chilling and then the phone rang and I'm like, I'm sorry, buddy, I have to take this phone call.

And then Steve made it really quick. He said, Do you want to be a part of the team? I was like, Yeah, sure, Steve, if you need me, it's fine, I'll be part of the team.

A few tears of joy. My wife was really happy. She knows how hard I've worked for this. It was a really cool moment. Went and told Randy and my parents. I was probably just as emotional getting that phone call as I was the Walker Cup, as well.

I remember the one for the Walker Cup I was on the range with Randy and I didn't know when that phone call was going to come in. Steve basically told us, he was like, Hey, Monday, be at your phone. I was like, okay, be at my phone.

For the Walker Cup it was a little bit different. And that was emotional, as well.

Q. What's the last movie that made you cry?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Last movie that made me cry? Probably because it's fresh in my mind Miracle usually gets me going. Also just some of the silly shows that we watch. I think Meredith and I both cried at the end of Stranger Things. We just finished a season of that. But I think, yeah, those two.

Q. Speaking of Steve's decision to pick you, he made it clear that analytically and statistically you fit this golf course really well. He's made it clear that he's using analytics a lot. What's your sense of how the team accepts that kind of data and information?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I would say there's been a pretty open line of communication between us and Steve on where the guys want to play, where that also fits with the statistics, and I think a lot of the guys out here, the guys that are on the team are all really smart.

I think a lot of times the statistics that we use is kind of a backup is not the right word but kind of a second opinion because like if the statistics guys are going to tell us what holes we should play the evens and odds, that's something that if -- I don't know if Jordan and Dustin are going to go out together, it's going to be pretty easy for them to figure out as well.

And so those statistics guys, it's really kind of that second level of confidence that this is the right decision, if that makes sense.

Q. I'm sure you will hear and have heard a lot of first tee stories. What are your own expectations of what that scene is going to be like? And secondly, what's your experience with foursomes?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, so first tee experience, we'll go with that first. It's going to be loud. And then the one thing I've heard was it's weird how loud it gets to how quiet it gets when you're about to hit the shot just because it's going to go back to a regular golf tournament when you're over the ball.

So I think that's going to be kind of a weird adjustment. I think it was Zach who told me that. Zach is like, It's just really weird how quiet it gets, because it's so loud and then all of a sudden it's dead silent.

And then foursomes, I've played foursomes -- I played it in junior golf on Wyndham Cup teams. I played in four or five of those. I always loved alternate-shot. Played it in the Walker Cup, and then we played a bit of it last week, and I'm sure I'm going to play a little bit more of it this week.

That's another thing that they're using heavy statistics on is who pairs well and what format, and so -- I like the format. If I get a chance to play I'll enjoy it. If I don't, then that's okay, too. Yeah.

Q. What did you get out of the visit here last week, and what do you hope to get out of the next three days, especially today with the three guys you are in terms of preparation and knowledge and just feeling comfortable here?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah, I mean, Jordan, J.T. and Bryson, they're great to bounce things off of. Played a lot of rounds with Jordan at home last week. I think we're both enjoying getting prepared for this tournament in more of a team atmosphere than it is preparing for a U.S. Open or whatever tournament it is. That's usually a little bit more individualistic.

Yeah, I mean, the prep weeks, it's going to be the same as it is any other major, just getting to know the golf course. The only difference is just trying to figure out who we're going to partner up with. I think our captains have a really good idea of what our groupings are going to be, and so for us I don't think there's going to be too much figuring out at the beginning of the week.

I think they've got a good idea of what we need to do, and just a matter of going out there and doing it.

THE MODERATOR: Scottie, thanks for finding us. Have a terrific day and enjoy your week.