Scottie Scheffler has come agonizingly close to victory multiple times this season, recording five runner-up finishes. Despite those near misses, however, the University of Texas at Austin product has managed just one win, which came at The American Express in January. For a player of Scheffler’s caliber, that record is clearly below expectations. Now, as the 30-year-old competes at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, broadcaster Amanda Balionis has broken her silence on his performance. 

“Scotty Scheffler, everyone will tell you, [is] one of the most competitive guys on the planet,” she said in a video shared on her Instagram story. “You know, it’s not sitting well with him that he has come so close so many times and just has one win on the resume so far this year.”

Besides being the runner-up, the World No. 1 has also recorded five additional top-five finishes in his 18 starts this season. To make matters even more surprising, he also did something that absolutely no one expected from a player of his caliber: he missed the cut at the Genesis Scottish Open earlier this year. So, when Scheffler stepped onto TPC Southwind on Friday, he appeared to have just one goal in mind—dominate.

After carding a 68 in the opening round and a remarkable 61 in the second, tying the course record for the lowest score, the 30-year-old entered the weekend in the overnight lead and looked well-positioned to secure his second victory of the season. Reflecting on the record-setting round, Scheffler later described it as a “really just a dream start.”

After all, Scheffler entered Friday ranked first in both strokes gained putting and strokes gained approach at TPC Southwind. However, Sam Burns has since taken over the top spot as both players continue to work through their remaining holes. And with far more than a victory on the line this weekend, the pressure is only mounting. 

The top 50 players in the FedExCup standings will advance to next week’s BMW Championship. Qualifying for the BMW Championship will also secure those players’ eligibility for next season’s Signature Events. Meanwhile, the top 30 players in the FedExCup standings after next week’s BMW Championship will advance to the TOUR Championship, adding another layer of importance to the playoff race.

Regardless, Balionis has interviewed the World No. 1 on several occasions during his PGA Tour career. In fact, last year, following his victory at the Memorial Tournament, Scottie Scheffler joked that Amanda Balionis was “trying to make him emotional” during their post-round interview.

Balionis had asked Scheffler about his wife Meredith’s role in his success, prompting the World No. 1 to become visibly emotional as he opened up about her importance in his life. Scheffler described Meredith as his “biggest supporter” and “best friend,” highlighting the significant role she has played both on and off the golf course.

That being said, it appears Amanda Balionis has complete faith in Scottie Scheffler. But he has been in this position before, and they haven’t ended well for him. Hopefully for him, that will change this weekend.