Masters winner: ‘All I’m trying to do is glorify God’

Masters champion Scottie Scheffler has said his identity is in Christ, not in his golfing accomplishments, following his first Major win.

In an interview after securing the title at Augusta, the world number one said the reason he plays golf is because “I’m trying to glorify God and all he’s done in my life”.

He added that “for me, my identity isn’t a golf score”.

‘I want to feel his presence’

The American also revealed how his wife Meredith, also a Christian, supports him as he seeks to balance his desire to win with his faith in God.

“Meredith told me this morning, she said: ‘If you win this golf tournament today, if you lose this golf tournament by ten shots, if you never win another golf tournament again, I’m still going to love you, you’re still the same person, Jesus loves you, and nothing changes.’

“And all I’m trying to do is glorify God, and that’s why I’m here, and that’s why I’m in this position, and so for me, it’s not about a golf score.”

He added: “Every day when we go out there, Meredith always prays for peace, because that’s what I want to feel when I’m out there on the golf course. I want to feel peace and have fun and I want to feel his presence. That’s her prayer every day, and that’s my prayer, and I really felt that today.”

‘God is in control’

Even before the tournament’s final day, which he entered leading the field by three shots, Meredith helped calm his nerves by reminding him that God had a plan for his life, whether or not he was prepared to receive what God had in store.

Scheffler recalled: “And so what we talked about is that God is in control and that the Lord is leading me; and if today is my time, then it’s my time. And if I shot 82 today, you know, somehow I was going to use it for His glory.”

Commenting on Scheffler’s candour about his faith, respected golf journalist Michael Bamberger said: “It’s easy, when writing any sort of game story, to skip right over any mention of God on the part of the protagonists”, given that so many athletes claim they won because God was “on their side”.

“But when Scheffler talks about his faith it’s in the context of balance, and in this year of golfing madness and much noise, his priority system is just refreshing. He doesn’t come off as a me-me-me person, or as a golfer looking for more and more and more.”

Biblical principles

World number one Scheffler is also guided on the course by another Christian – his caddie Ted Scott, whom he met at a Bible study.

Scott discussed his faith in a podcast in 2018, in which he said: “People a lot of times think, well, if you become a Christian, God’s just gonna make everything easy for you, and that’s not the case.”

He added: “But having the God of the universe, the Creator, on your side just makes things a lot easier to deal with. And the principles of the Bible are something that, when you use them, you can see it manifest in your life.”