Scottie Scheffler Finds His Identity in Christ, Not in Winning Master’s Championships

This past Sunday, Scottie Scheffler won his second Master’s, perhaps golf’s most prestigious major, yet he says that his true victory was already won on the cross.

The Master’s. It’s a name that evokes a sense of calm and a sense of gravitas at the same time. The first Master’s was played in 1934 and over that time, 54 golfers have won the famed green jacket. With this, Scheffler has joined a prestigious Iist of just 17 others who have won the Master’s more than once.

It’s a tournament virtually every golfer longs to win, and the pressure is enough to make even the fiercest competitors crack. Scheffler, at only 27 years old, has proven that he is up to the task. Scheffler’s desire to win is strong, but he knows that trophies, exclusive fraternities, and glory aren’t what shape his identity.

Scheffler was asked before the event what defines him as a person. Scheffler’s answer?

“I’m a faithful guy. I believe in a Creator. I believe in Jesus. Ultimately, I think that’s what defines me the most.”

He continued,

“I feel like I’ve been given a platform to compete and…show my talent. It’s not anything that I did. I think I sat up here a couple years ago doing the interview after the 2022 Masters, and it’s like, yeah, I was underprepared for what was about to happen. I didn’t know what was going to happen. I didn’t — I was very anxious that morning. I didn’t know what to expect. And it’s hard to describe the feeling, but I think that’s what defines me the most is my faith. I believe in one Creator, that I’ve been called to come out here, do my best, compete and glorify God, and that’s pretty much it.”

The world’s No. 1 ranked player has dominated the best golfers and the toughest courses the world can offer. In a superb article written by Kyle Porter for CBS Sports, Porter described Scheffler’s virtually unbelievable scoring average as, “comical,” his game “relentless,” and his play statistics “appear fake.”

As Porter noted, it is Scheffler’s conviction that his identity is in Christ, and that God is sovereign, that has enabled him to hold “the line between ‘cares a lot’ and ‘identity not tethered to outcome’ perfectly.”

Following his second Master’s championship, Scheffler opened up to the media that he confided in his Christian friends how he was struggling with how badly he wanted to win. They helped remind him that “my victory was secure on the cross, and that’s a pretty special feeling to know that I’m secure for forever, and it doesn’t matter, you know, whether or not I win this tournament or if I lose this tournament.”

He continued,

“I believe that today’s plans were already laid out, you know, many years ago, and I could do nothing to mess up those plans, I’ve been given a gift of this talent, and I use it for God’s glory. When I’m out there, I try to compete to the best of my abilities, like I said, I really want to win. I feel like that’s how I was designed. I’ve been like that since I was a young kid. That’s always been a part of me, and I don’t think that should be going away any time soon. But, at the end of the day, like I said, my identity is secure already, and I get to come out here and compete, have fun, enjoy it.”

Scheffler’s mindset was obvious before the tournament as he told the media he would leave the Master’s course if his wife,  Meredith, went into labor. Scheffler and Meredith are expecting the birth of their first child soon. Even after rising to the top of the leaderboard going into the final day of the tournament, Scheffler again stated he would leave the Master’s to be with his wife.

Following his second Master’s win, Scheffler made clear that golf would soon be fourth on his list of priorities.

“I will go home, soak in this victory tonight. And we will definitely enjoy the birth of my first child. But with that being said, I still love competing. My priorities will change here very soon. My son or daughter will now be the main priority, along with my wife, so golf will now be probably fourth in line. But I still love competing. I don’t plan on taking my eye off the ball anytime soon, that’s for sure.”

Scheffler’s attitude and statements show all of us how to respond to the big moments of our lives. Sometimes our circumstances can cause us anxiety, but exercising trust in God, who causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28), enables us to handle those anxieties and to be a witness for Christ even in the most pressure-packed moments.

In a world that prioritizes fame, flash, and winning, this champion shows that humility, love of God, and love of others are the true marks of a winner.

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