World No. 1 Golfer Scottie Scheffler Finds Fulfillment in Christ, Not Trophies Despite Winning British Open
Texas golfer Scottie Scheffler won the British Open championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland on Sunday but stressed afterwards that faith and family are his top priorities over golf. Scheffler, the world's #1 ranked player, won the tournament by carding a 3-under 68 with a final score of 17-under, a four stroke-win over the second place winner, American Harris English. According to Sports Spectrum, this was Scheffler's 4th major championship victory, and his second major win of the 2025 season (he also won the PGA Championship earlier in the year).
Following the win, Scheffler celebrated by hugging his wife, Meredith, and his son, Bennett, on the 18th green.
Scottie Scheffler's son after Scottie won ANOTHER major championship, "ESPN stated on social media. "Just another Sunday for Bennett Scheffler."
Scottie Scheffler's son after Scottie won ANOTHER major championship 😭
— ESPN (@espn) July 20, 2025
Just another Sunday for Bennett Scheffler 🏆 pic.twitter.com/rPun0Bg9aO
During a post-game press conference, Scheffler expressed gratitude for the championship win but contended that any type of success in life does not fulfill "the deepest desires of the heart."
"I have a tremendous amount of gratitude towards moments like these," the golfer said. "I literally worked my entire life to become good at this game and play this game for a living. It's one of my greatest joys of my life to compete out here. To be able to win The Open Championship here at Portrush is a feeling that's really hard to describe.
"I'm very fortunate to be able to come out here and live out my dreams. … This is amazing to win the Open Championship, but at the end of the day, having success in life, whether it be in golf, work, whatever it is, that's not what fulfills the deepest desires of your heart."
Scheffler maintained in a press conference last Tuesday that his faith and family are his top priorities, not winning tournaments, because he knows that the sport does not define who he is, nor can it truly satisfy.
"I would say my greatest priorities are my faith and my family," he said. "Those come first for me. Golf is third in that order. I've said it for a long time, golf is not how I identify myself. I don't identify myself by winning tournaments, chasing trophies, being famous, or whatever it is."
Scottie Scheffler said winning golf tournaments is ultimately, not satisfying.
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) July 15, 2025
Without saying it, he iterates that athletic accomplishments are great, but it’s like striving after the wind. The only thing that satisfies, ultimately, is Jesus Christ.
pic.twitter.com/SLvcsGtTuf
The golfer made similar comments after capturing the PGA Championship this May.
"I feel like I've been given a gift to play golf, but at the end of the day, the golf tournament is over," he said. "You take your hat off, shake hands, and you move on. And so, my faith is such an important part of my golf game because it's not only an important part of my life, but it's what helps me kind of realize that it's not that big of a deal. I'm called to compete; I'm not called to go win every single golf tournament. Do I want to win every single golf tournament? Of course. But at the end of the day, that's not what's gonna satisfy my soul."
— By The Flagstick (@ByTheFlagstick) May 15, 2025
Following his first Master's victory in 2022, he talked about discovering who he was in Christ.
"The reason why I play golf is I'm trying to glorify God and all that He's done in my life," Scheffler said. "So for me, my identity isn't a golf score. … 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."
Following his victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational just a few weeks prior, Scheffler shared that Chris is his ultimate motivation for being the best golfer he can be.
"You've really got to look at the motivation for why I play. For me, I have a relationship with Jesus Christ," he said. "That's why I play golf. I'm out here to compete because that's where He wants me. He's in control of what happens in the end. So just really staying the course and staying faithful and letting Him be the guidance for me versus anything that I do."
WATCH: Scottie Scheffler: Open Win Is Special, Tiger Comparison 'Silly'
So far, Scheffler has already won three of the four events (the Masters, the PGA Championship, and the Open Championship) from becoming a Grand Slam Champion, which he will be able to if he wins the U.S. Open in 2026.
According to the PGA Tour 2025 schedule, Scheffler is scheduled to compete in the 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota, with round 1 taking place this Thursday.
Photo Credit: Left: ©Getty Images/David Cannon Right: ©Getty Images/Richard Heathcote
Originally published July 23, 2025.
