Scottie Scheffler vows to correct previous Ryder Cup mistake

Scottie Scheffler has admitted his preparation for the 2023 Ryder Cup was not as good as it should have been. 

The top-ranked Scheffler will be relied upon heavily when Keegan Bradley's United States team clash with Luke Donald's Europe later this month. 

Scheffler is heading to the biennial clash from 26-28 September having secured two more major championships this season. 

He won the PGA Championship in May and backed that up with his first Open title at Royal Portrush in July. 

Four-time major winner Scheffler had a forgettable experience at Marco Simone, Italy, two years ago as Zach Johnson's side were defeated 16 ½ - 11 ½.

The 29-year-old told reporters before the Procore Championship he was "not as sharp" as he could have been. 

Scheffler and several members of the US team took a few weeks off at the conclusion of the Tour Championship before heading to Rome on a reconnaissance trip. 

That is not the case this year, with 10 of Keegan Bradley's team using the first event of the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup Fall season as a tune-up. 

Xander Schauffele is absent as he recently became a father, while LIV Golf recruit Bryson DeChambeau remains banned from competing in PGA Tour events.

"Two years ago for Rome we did that trip over there to get ready for the golf course," Scheffler said. 

"Basically, the conclusion that we came to was it would be nice to have some competition going into the Ryder Cup. 

"And it would be unusual for me to have four or five weeks off before the Masters or the US Open or something like that, so there's no reason that I should be doing that going into the Ryder Cup."

He continued: "I'm always focused on my preparation, that's most important to me. 

"So in order to stay sharp - you can practice and do all you can at home, but there's something different about playing competition, getting ready for a tournament and I think this will be good prep.

"I felt like, for myself going into the last Ryder Cup, my prep work may not have been as good as it should have been.

"I think I could have been a little bit sharper at that tournament. It's just because it's just different playing tournament golf, it really is. 

"That was a learning experience for me. Like I said, I learned from it and now we'll be pretty sharp heading in."

Scheffler's trip to Rome also included the golfer and Brooks Koepka on the receiving end of a 9&7 foursomes defeat to Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg. 

The defeat reduced Scheffler to tears. Koepka was overlooked for a captain's pick this year. 

"I think anytime you have tough losses, it can go one of two ways,” Scheffler said. 

"It can be something that you can use for something good or it can kind of break you down. 

"Over time, playing professional golf, you're going to have great wins, you're going to have great losses. When I look back at the '23 [Ryder] Cup, I think I halved two matches and lost two, so I think I left there without winning a single match and that hurt.

"Like I said, when you represent your country, you want to do your best. So putting the flag on my chest means a heck of a lot to me. 

"There's a reason I get emotional talking about it, there's a reason I get emotional at the Olympics. 

"I love my country and I love the opportunity to be able to represent them.

"It hurt a little bit because I didn't feel like I was as prepared as I could have been. 

"So going into this Cup I've put a lot of work into my game over the last couple years to get ready and to go play this event."

Sassy Scottie Scheffler

Elsewhere, one reporter asked Scheffler about never winning a golf tournament on his debut. 

Scheffler apparently got the wrong end of the stick, and was quick to remind the scribe that he won this year's Open at Royal Portrush having never played there before. 

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