Scottie Scheffler is the best golfer alive by almost any measure. Four major championships, world No. 1 for most of the last four years, a résumé that reads like a modern-day Tiger Woods comparison waiting to happen, and yet when it comes to team golf, something just hasn’t clicked; a gap that even his closest teammates find genuinely puzzling.

Russell Henley, speaking ahead of this week’s Presidents Cup at Medinah, didn’t dodge the question when asked directly about Scheffler’s underwhelming team-event record.

“Given his individual record over the last several years, four majors, all these wins, have you a little surprised that his team record isn’t better?” a reporter asked. Henley’s answer was refreshingly honest. “Yeah, I am, but I’m not,” he said. “I feel like when you take the best player in the world and you put him on a hard golf course and you play for 72 holes, it shows it’s usually one guy maybe ties or beats him. On average. It’s ridiculous.”

The numbers support what Henley is saying. In three Ryder Cup appearances, Scheffler has a record of 3-6-3. At last year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, he became the first player since 1967 to lose all four of his team matches in one Ryder Cup. He managed to earn only one point that week after beating Rory McIlroy in singles. His record in team formats has been especially tough. At the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, Scheffler and Brooks Koepka suffered a record-tying 9-and-7 loss in foursomes, leaving Scottie Scheffler in tears.

Scheffler’s Presidents Cup record is also 3-5-1 across two appearances. His overall record in international team events is now 6-11-4.

That is a big contrast for a player who, as Henley said, would likely beat most of the field in a normal 72-hole tournament. But match play is different. Foursomes and four-ball also bring another challenge because a partner’s mistakes can affect the result.

“That’s over 72 holes. That’s a normal golf tournament,” Henley said. “When you’re playing 18 holes and you have a partner, that’s just a lot different.”

There is some positive news for Scottie Scheffler. His best team-event run came at the 2024 Presidents Cup in Montreal. He went 3-2 as the U.S. team won comfortably. He also formed strong partnerships with Henley and Collin Morikawa.

Henley has played with Scheffler at several team events and said their families are close. He also rejected the idea that players may struggle to play with a star like Scheffler.

“I haven’t felt that as much,” he said. “He’s an incredible teammate and obviously he’s an amazing golfer, so it’s kind of like the best combination.”

Now, Scottie Scheffler will look to improve that record at Medinah. He once again leads the U.S. team in points heading into the Presidents Cup. The Americans are seeking an 11th straight win in the event. Scottie Scheffler has achieved almost everything possible in individual golf over the past few years. But his match-play record remains one part of his career that has not matched his success in regular tournaments.