Most of us chase success, thinking it’ll feel incredible when we get there. Scottie Scheffler knows better. He’s lived through what 99% of us never will – winning at the highest level – and here’s his honest take: it feels like getting hit by a bus. No sleep, stomach pain, pure physical and emotional exhaustion. Success has more to it than just those euphoric feelings.

At Tuesday’s U.S. Open press conference in Oakmont, Scheffler pulled back the curtain on what nobody sees after the celebrations end. “Like after the PGA, I just feel like you got almost hit by a bus because there’s so much emotion, there’s a lot of stuff that goes into the tournament after you win, and you basically don’t get any sleep that night because you’ve still got adrenaline, your stomach hurts. It’s just a heightened state of emotion, I think,” he revealed. Since the PGA Championship win by 5 strokes, Scottie has played 2 events. In one of them, he defended his title at Muirfield. The adrenaline rush indeed has been high.

The #1 golfer described a side of winning that fans never witness. While crowds celebrate and cameras capture triumphant moments, Scheffler endures physical and emotional exhaustion that borders on traumatic. Furthermore, he emphasized how this toll accumulates throughout a season rather than disappearing after a single night. Consequently, Scheffler has completely transformed his approach to recovery and rest. “So I’ve learned over the course of my career to focus a little bit more on the rest side of things, especially when I get home,” he explained.

For Scottie, resting is just as important. He did not play the RBC Canadian Open last week because he wanted to get a week’s rest before teeing it up at the difficult Oakmont. He rested for a few days after his Memorial win, and got back to practice on Wednesday that week.

Moreover, his priorities have shifted dramatically since becoming a father and husband. He got married to Meredith on December 4, 2020, at Arlington Hall. The couple welcomed their son, Bennett, in May 2024. Little Bennett has made many appearances on the course to see his father win with his mum. Having a wife and a child has changed Scottie’s priorities. He has always been the one to keep his family above golf. Previously, Scheffler could spend unlimited hours practicing on the range but not now. “Early in my career, I was able to come out to courses and spend as much time as I wanted to out here, and that’s just because I didn’t really have any other obligations. I’d just come out and practice, practice, practice and do whatever I wanted to do, but now things are a little bit different with having a wife and a son and some other obligations at tournaments, as well. The schedule is just a bit different,” he noted.

Yet, Scheffler continues to hold sway over his performance, not letting it dip despite injury setbacks.

Scottie Scheffler’s dominance despite physical setbacks

This evolution in his approach hasn’t diminished his competitive edge. Instead, Scheffler continues dominating professional golf with unprecedented consistency. Currently, he holds the number one world ranking with 746.11 points, significantly ahead of Rory McIlroy‘s 507.64 points.

Additionally, his 2025 season showcases remarkable resilience following a serious setback. On Christmas Day 2024, Scheffler punctured his right palm with broken glass while making homemade ravioli. Subsequently, he required surgery to remove glass fragments and missed the Sentry and American Express tournaments.

Nevertheless, his return demonstrated extraordinary mental toughness. After coming back at Pebble Beach with a T9 finish, Scheffler quickly regained elite form. His statistical dominance tells the complete story. Scheffler leads the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Total (2.687), Off the Tee (0.776), and Approach to Green (1.342). Furthermore, he posted top-11 finishes in 10 of 12 events this year. However, his path back to dominance hasn’t been entirely smooth.

Early in the season, Scheffler showed visible frustration when his perfectionist standards weren’t met, particularly during struggles at TPC Sawgrass. Nonetheless, he channeled this intensity into championship-level performance. His recent victories particularly highlighted his return to form. By winning consecutive Memorial Tournaments, Scheffler joined Tiger Woods as the only player to achieve this feat. Meanwhile, his dominant five-shot PGA Championship victory earlier this year added his third major championship.

Comparatively, other top players struggle to match Scheffler’s consistency. While McIlroy leads 2025 earnings with $13.3 million, he hasn’t won an official PGA Tour event this year. Similarly, Xander Schauffele ranks 92nd on the money list despite his victory in the 2024 major.

Looking ahead, Scheffler enters the U.S. Open as the overwhelming betting favorite. His combination of physical dominance and hard-earned wisdom about managing the hidden costs of success makes him golf’s most complete player. Sometimes the greatest victories demand the highest prices. As he pursues more majors, Scheffler’s honest perspective on the hidden costs of success might just be what separates champions from legends.