Rich Beem has given some insight into what viewers at home might not pick up on about how Scottie Scheffler acts on the course, as the world number one looks to get back on track after an odd start to the year.
Scottie Scheffler may have already picked up a win this season, but his slow starts in recent events have caught more attention than his victory at The American Express.
He’s failed to shoot under par in the opening rounds of his last three tournaments: the WM Phoenix Open, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and now the Genesis Invitational.
On Thursday at Riviera, he was five over through 10 holes when play was suspended, marking the worst opening round of his PGA Tour career.
Rich Beem offers view on Scottie Scheffler’s behaviour after another slow PGA Tour start
What’s made things stranger is how he has responded each time. Despite the slow starts, Scheffler hasn’t finished lower than 12th this year and was just one shot away from making the playoff at TPC Scottsdale.
Speaking on the Sky Sports Golf Podcast, Rich Beem said he is confused by what is happening with Scheffler right now. He also pointed out that the 29-year-old might not be as calm as people think.
“I can’t explain it. Somebody has asked me what’s going on with Scottie Scheffler? Well, he’s human, first of all, we know that. It doesn’t make sense, especially from the standpoint of Phoenix, he still went out and made five or six birdies in the opening round and still shot over par,” he said.
“I can understand maybe Riviera, opening day, very tough. I can even understand maybe a little bit where you get off to a bland start at Pebble Beach. It’s not going to get any easier going forward. I’m assuming his next start is going to be Bay Hill where he’s won. Then he’s going to go to The Players Championship, one of the hardest golf courses on tour.
“It’s a trend that could continue just because of the venues, not that I fully expect it to, but it’s just not happening for him. And we all know that he gets a little hot under the collar at times. Maybe some people don’t quite see it as much as we do in the media when we follow him every day.”
When Scottie Scheffler let his emotions spill over
There’s an argument that Scheffler handles pressure better than anyone else in the field. Few players look as relaxed when they’re out in front.
But heading into 2026, it’s been a while since we’ve seen him truly at his best. Even when results dipped early last season, he was coming off a hand injury – and most understood the slow return.
He’s had his moments of frustration too. The one that stands out is his reaction during the BMW Championship in 2024, which drew plenty of criticism at the time.
Even so, you have to give Scheffler credit for how he’s managed to fight back recently. In each of his last three starts, he turned things around when it could have gone wrong.
If he hadn’t found a way to channel that frustration, there’s every chance he’d have missed two cuts already this season – and not by narrow margins either.
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