The Scottie Scheffler Model

Answering a question from Dan Rapaport on Wednesday, Viktor Hovland spoke about the way he has tinkered in the past and his mentality moving forward.

The quotes struck me as a maturation for Hovland, someone who has struggled in recent years, and made me think of Scottie Scheffler’s approach to golf. Scheffler is notorious for sticking to the basics, making sure his technique is consistent, and focusing heavily on his mental game. Looking back on the last few years, you won’t find changes in Scheffler’s approach or his swing. He keeps things simple and focuses on what he can control.

This week, Scheffler is playing in his first event back from a hand injury he suffered over the holidays. During his downtime, he said he went back to watch replays of himself from 2024. But not just highlights, he watched the middle of tournaments to see how he reacted.

He also spoke about his ability to stay patient in the moment.

While I don’t think Hovland’s ceiling is that of Scheffler’s – hardly anyone in the world is capable of reaching peak Scheffler – I do think a simplified, technical approach and a more steady mental approach will do him wonders in 2025. Hovland was arguably a top-five player in the world at the end of 2023 and he took a big step back last year. But if you’re going to model a comeback off of anyone in golf right now, Scottie Scheffler is the guy to choose.

Hovland is a lovable character in part because of his willingness to tinker and try new things, but I think I speak for everyone when I say that I’d prefer if he got back to his winning ways. Hopefully 2025 is a year where he’s true to himself and focuses on the key components of his game that make him great.

This piece originally appeared in the Fried Egg Golf newsletter. Subscribe for free and receive golf news and insight every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.