Patience. It’s a virtue that can be difficult to practice, especially for elite athletes accustomed to performing at the highest levels. But for World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler, it’s the watchword as he navigates his return to the PGA Tour after being sidelined by a hand injury.
The reigning Masters champion and PGA Tour Player of the Year made his much-anticipated 2025 debut at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where a tie for 9th hinted at the rust he was still shaking off. Another solid result followed with a T25 at the Waste Management Open. But it was this past week’s Genesis Invitational that provided the clearest glimpse yet of where Scheffler’s game is at – and where he wants it to be.
Managing Expectations After Injury
Scheffler carded a final-round 68 at Riviera Country Club to finish tied for 3rd, an impressive result by any measure. But for a player who reached such rarefied air in 2024, with 8 wins including a Green Jacket, “pretty good” isn’t quite good enough.
“I think I feel pretty bad about where I’m at. I’m trying to stay patient with myself, which can be tough because I have high expectations.”
Scottie Scheffler
It’s a feeling many Tour pros can relate to – that inner drive to not just compete, but to be the best. After an injury, there’s an urgency to prove you haven’t lost a step. But as Scheffler is learning, the road back requires equal parts persistence and patience.
Finding a Way to Contend
Perhaps the most encouraging sign for Scheffler is that even as he manages his expectations, he’s still putting himself in the mix on Sundays. At Riviera, he was just a few swings away from a potential win.
“I didn’t have my best stuff this week and I still found a way to give myself a chance. It’s not easy to come out here and play competitive golf at a high level and get right back to where I was last year.”
Scottie Scheffler
That ability to grind, to post a score even when not firing on all cylinders, is a hallmark of golf’s elite. And it bodes well for Scheffler as he continues to knock off the competitive rust.
Patience is a Process
Golf is a game of constant refinement, where even the slightest tweak can throw off a finely-tuned swing. After an injury and layoff, regaining one’s feel can be as much mental as physical.
“I think when I get out here and start competing, I definitely forget that I had lost some of the progress I made in the offseason. I’m trying to give myself a little bit of grace and some patience, kind of getting back into the swing of things.”
Scottie Scheffler
It’s a balancing act elite golfers must master – pushing themselves to excel while also accepting the ups and downs inherent to the game. For the uber-competitive Scheffler, whose breakout 2024 season set a new standard of excellence, it’s a daily struggle.
The Road Ahead
With his T3 finish at Genesis, Scheffler has now posted progressively better results in each start of 2025. And his next few events present golden opportunities to truly reestablish his dominance.
- The Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill
- The Players Championship
- The Masters at Augusta National
Scheffler is the defending champ at all three, and he’ll no doubt be laser-focused on peaking for this stretch. With his steady diet of patience, persistence and perspective, don’t be surprised to see Scheffler return to his winning ways soon. His journey back to the top has only just begun.
