Justin Thomas had recently praised Scheffler’s mental game at the U.S. Open on June 10, calling it “better than anybody out here.” Days later, at the Travelers Championship press conference on June 20, reporters asked Scottie Scheffler about those comments. What followed was a masterclass in genuine admiration between competitors.

“Yeah. Justin is a guy that I looked up to from a young age,” Scheffler began, his response immediate and authentic. This praise carries weight considering Thomas was indeed a standout junior and amateur player before turning professional in 2013. “He was a really talented junior player, talented amateur player. He had a lot early success out here on TOUR,” Scheffler continued.

Thomas’s two major championships and 16 PGA Tour victories since joining the PGA Tour in 2015. The world No. 1 could have stopped there with generic praise. Instead, he revealed something fascinating about their contrasting approaches to preparation. “Justin is an extremely hard worker. I think Justin is more of a practicer than I am,” Scheffler admitted candidly. This acknowledgment speaks volumes, given Scheffler’s reputation for meticulous preparation.

Scheffler detailed their philosophical differences with genuine admiration. “I’m more of like — I like to play a lot when I practice,” he explained. “With Justin, he is very, very disciplined in the way he approaches things, and that’s why you’ve seen him have success for so many years out here,” Scheffler continued. Thomas’s disciplined approach has indeed yielded consistent results over his eight-year professional career.

But Scheffler’s most telling comment revealed what he truly respects about Thomas’s mental strength. “He sticks to his process. He doesn’t let things kind of get to him, I think, and I think a lot of that goes back to how hard he prepares to come out here and play,” Scheffler said.

This mental resilience was evident during Thomas’s recent three-year winless drought, where he maintained his preparation standards despite struggles. The praise culminated with a simple but powerful assessment: “He’s very, I would say, professional in the way he approaches things.”

This alignment of thinking extends to their professional perspectives, as Thomas recently agreed with Scottie’s remarks on the PGA Tour courses being too easy. The statistical reality of their 2025 seasons provides fascinating context to this mutual respect.

Scheffler’s dominance vs Thomas’s struggles: The 2025 context

At the start of the season, JT expressed that he wants to have a Scottie-like season! You know the one Scheffler had in 2024? Spectacular! Anyways, the numbers now tell the complete story of their divergent seasons. Scheffler has been utterly dominant with three wins, including his third major at the PGA Championship. He sits No. 1 in both the world rankings and FedEx Cup standings with 4,425 points.

His nine top-10 finishes in 2025 include a fourth-place Masters finish and a T7 at the U.S. Open. His worst result was an eighth-place finish at the RBC Heritage, highlighting his remarkable consistency throughout the season. Meanwhile, Thomas has experienced the opposite trajectory with stark statistical contrasts.

After ending a nearly three-year winless drought at RBC Heritage in April, he’s posted just one victory compared to Scheffler’s three. His 2025 scoring average of 70.29 ranks 22nd on the Tour, while Scheffler maintains an average of approximately 68.6. Most telling are their major championship results.

While Scheffler claimed the PGA Championship, Thomas missed the cut at both the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open. Thomas’s struggles in majors are particularly pronounced, with only one top-25 finish in his last 13 major starts.

Despite six top-10 finishes in 14 regular tour starts this season, Thomas ranks fifth in the world compared to Scheffler’s dominant No. 1 position. The contrasting seasons make their mutual professional respect all the more noteworthy, demonstrating how elite competitors recognize the value of preparation and character beyond current results.