What a beautiful season Scottie Scheffler had last year! No missed cuts, two runner-up finishes, seven wins on the PGA Tour, and a gold medal at the Olympics. What more can the golfer ask for? And to top all of that, he is still ranked No. 1 on the OWGR list, having earned a whopping $29,228,357 in just a year. Sadly, despite all this, misery struck when he went down to enjoy his off-season.

Three 2025 PGA Tour season events have already concluded, and the fourth event is underway. But the World’s No. 1 is yet to kick start his year. Why is it so? Scottie Scheffler sustained a hand injury while making ravioli for last year’s Christmas dinner. He had to undergo a minor surgery to remove the glass fragments. The 28 YO last appeared at the 2024 Hero World Challenge in December. Despite his absence, the golf community still has high hopes for him, and so do the journalists.

Last season was also tough for Scheffler. First, he got arrested ahead of the second round at the PGA Championship in May, and yet finished at T8. And then, he had Bennett Scheffler, his first child in August, for which he took a break, and came back with a bang, winning the Memorial. When Amanda Balionis was asked about her expectations from Scottie Scheffler this year in one of her virtual appearances, she said, “More World Domination. If we learned anything from Scottie Scheffler last year. That crazy situation at the PGA Championship, having his first child. Nothing could shake Scottie Scheffler. And that injury to his hand as well.”

She is certain that once he comes back, there will be no place for anyone else to take the lead. “But I do not doubt in my mind. It doesn’t matter what happens to Scottie Scheffler inside or outside the ropes. His mental fortitude is unlike anything we have ever seen. Which is what makes him the undisputed World No. 1. And I think we are all just expecting more domination,” she added.

While Amanda Balionis has an optimistic view of Scottie Scheffler’s upcoming season, Jack Nicklaus has sent out warnings for him. According to him, player dropouts have been affecting Major events, and Scottie Scheffler’s absence is one of them.

Jack Nicklaus shares how easily fresh faces can replace old ones

In a Golf Channel interview with 5 Clubs, golf legend Jack Nicklaus discussed the challenges Scottie Scheffler would face upon his return to competition. Host Gary Williams began by highlighting Nicklaus’s legendary career, which spanned every major event from 1962 to 1998. Reflecting on his longevity, Nicklaus remarked, “I was very fortunate to keep myself in shape to be able to do that,” adding that he had never experienced a serious injury during his playing days. The conversation continued when Williams asked about Scheffler’s game, as his PGA Tour return was delayed even further.

Nicklaus responded, “Scotty is a great player. He’s a nice guy, very balanced. You know, he’s married, has a family, and enjoys other things outside of golf. He likes to stay involved. I like Scotty a lot! He’s had an incredible past, but I believe his future is still bright and full of promise.” Though Nicklaus praised Scheffler for his play and balance, he further added, “Probably there’s a lot of really good young players that are coming along that you know that is going to make his life more difficult but also they’re going to find a lot of guy young guys who have the success that we haven’t even heard of yet!”

He basically suggested that any player’s significance in the field can be easily taken if they avoid the course for a rather long time, regardless of their history. Do you think that will be the case with Scottie Scheffler? Let us know in the comments section below!