'Is that going to be a quote? This year we're all going to die?' - Scheffler makes light at Birkdale

Scottie Scheffler of the United States speaks to the media during a press conference prior to The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 14, 2026 in Southport, England. (Photo by Stuart Kerr/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

Scottie Scheffler trumped last year’s existential “what’s the point” press conference at Royal Portrush with a self-deprecating jab at himself and the honest assessment that he’s not chasing his legacy in the game because he’ll be dead and it won’t matter.

The Texan joked that he “got a little bit off the rails” 12 months ago when he warned that winning wasn’t everything and launched into a philosophical discourse and why it’s the journey and not the destination that motivates him.

“There’s a lot of people that make it to what they thought was going to fulfil them in life, and you get there, you get to No. 1 in the world, and they’re like, what’s the point? What is the point?” he said last year.

When asked at Royal Birkdale about what how much setting records motivated him, he said: “To be completely honest, not really.

“I don't really play, like, for a place in history... at the end of the day, I'm going to live my life, and it's going to end.

“When it ends, I'm going somewhere else, and I'm not going to be here anymore. Legacy and all that stuff was never really something that motivated me.”

The world number one was bemused by the coverage of his ‘what’s the point’ quote last year and he could already see the headlines on his champion’s press conference.

"Is that going to be a quote after last year's 'what's the point'? This year we're all going to die,” he joked.

It’s the quest for greatness more than the number of trophies he wins that’s what motivates him.

“There's things I would like to accomplish in the game, but at the end of the day, I have never once thought about how I'm going to be remembered,” he said.

“To me, it truly doesn't matter from a sense of like accomplishment. Like when I die, hey, Scottie won four majors and 20 tournaments and he won this much money. That has zero effect on me.

“It's more like from a competition side, it's more just the things that I can try to achieve in the game. That's something just for me just trying to get the most out of myself, like do you want to be able to win tournaments, you want to be able to put yourself in those positions. That's what I love about the game.

“History to me -- yeah, I guess maybe just isn't that important. I'm not really sure how to elaborate on that, to be honest with you.

“I don't necessarily want to be remembered for winning the tournaments that I won. I'd much rather be remembered for the way that I did it than the tournaments that I won.

“A successful week for me is when I approach things the right way, when I'm committed to what I'm doing.

“But I'd much rather be remembered for doing things the right way than the guy that won all the tournaments.

“For me, competition is extremely important. I love being able to go out and compete, but over time I've gotten much better at just being able to take your hat off and shake hands.”

I've met some great people in the game of golf. Some of my best friends in the world I met through playing golf.

“When I was young, I took myself a bit too seriously. I've gotten better as I've gotten older of letting the competition be the competition, and when you're done, taking your hat off and shake hands and we're on to the next week.

“History for me has never been the most important thing.”