Could this be the year Scottie Scheffler finally achieves his absolute best? Imagine the reigning World No. 1 golfer, Scottie Scheffler, stepping onto the course at the WM Phoenix Open, not with the lingering questions of a year prior, but with a resounding victory already under his belt. This season, his second PGA TOUR event is already a triumph at The American Express, a stark contrast to the hesitant start that marked his 2025 campaign.
Last year, a bizarre offseason mishap involving a kitchen utensil – specifically, a wine glass used a bit too enthusiastically during a homemade pasta-making session – led to a deep puncture wound in Scheffler's right palm. This unexpected injury, which necessitated surgery to remove glass fragments near his middle finger, forced him to sit out the initial four PGA TOUR events of 2025. This was particularly concerning coming off his phenomenal nine-win season in 2024. As Scheffler himself humorously put it, "Definitely a lot easier starting off that way instead of missing the first few tournaments due to hand surgery. Did a bit less cooking in the offseason this year. Stuck to plastic silverware instead of metal stuff. Nah, I’m only kidding."
His return to Scottsdale holds a special significance. This is the very course, the Tom Wieskopf-designed Stadium Course, where he secured his maiden TOUR victory in 2022. That win was the spark that ignited one of golf's most impressive streaks in recent memory. Since that breakthrough, Scheffler has amassed an astonishing 19 additional PGA TOUR titles in just four seasons, a remarkable feat averaging about one win for every five tournaments entered.
But here's where it gets controversial: Even a golfer of Scheffler's caliber experienced a brief moment of vulnerability last year. After his dominant nine worldwide wins in 2024, the hand injury disrupted his flow and preparation. Upon his return at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, he managed a T9 finish, followed by a T25 at the WM Phoenix Open. While a second-round 66 in Scottsdale certainly energized the crowd, a final-round 72 led some to question if he had truly regained his top form. This T25 finish, incidentally, remains his lowest since that period.
And this is the part most people miss: By May of last year, Scheffler had found his stride again, clinching THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson and then going on to win two major championships, firmly re-establishing himself as the undisputed leader in the sport. He hasn't finished outside the top 10 in any tournament since THE PLAYERS Championship in March. It took him approximately five months to fully recover and reach the peak performance levels seen in 2024. This year, however, with a complete winter of preparation and a win already secured at La Quinta, the narrative is entirely different.
"It’s nice to get off to that kind of start," Scheffler shared. "It’s nice to feel very prepared going into the season. I feel like my body is in a good spot, my head is in a good spot. We had a really nice break to kind of get ready to come back out here and compete."
Despite this early success, Scheffler maintains a laser focus on the present. "I’ve always been a guy that does my best when I’m staying present and focusing on the things that I can focus on at the time," he explained. "I mean, it’s great to be able to see results to start the year, but we’re here playing another tournament. Last week is forgotten about, and I’m ready to come out here and compete again."
This philosophy has directly influenced his offseason priorities. "So a lot of it is getting home and getting rest and spending time with the people I love at home and getting ready to come back out here and do it again," he said. "Rest is a huge part of it, and I’ve come to value that more as my career has gone forward."
With a full, uninterrupted offseason behind him, no injury rehabilitation to contend with, and immediate momentum already established, Scheffler's arrival in Phoenix this year presents a formidable combination of rest and relentless drive. This could very well set the stage for an even more challenging 2026 season for his competitors.
What are your thoughts? Do you believe Scottie Scheffler is poised for his best year yet, or do you think other factors could still come into play? Share your agreement or disagreement in the comments below.
