Scottie Scheffler has proven his critics wrong after recovering from a disappointing start to 2025 to win two majors, with the American now addressing LIV star Phil Mickelson’s poorly-aged comments
Scottie Scheffler has addressed Phil Mickelson’s controversial and rather foolish prediction that the world No. 1 wouldn’t win anything before the Ryder Cup. The recently-crowned Open Championship winner confirmed suspicions that Mickelson meant to tweet that the world No. 1 golfer will not win anything at all, while taking a jab at the LIV Golf star.
At the beginning of the year, Scheffler, 29, struggled to find his rhythm, going winless in his opening five tournaments of 2025. Beyond his poor form on the course, the New Jersey star was also recovering from a bizarre kitchen mishap involving ravioli preparation, where a wine glass he was using as a makeshift rolling pin shattered and cut deep into his hand, requiring surgery.
During that difficult period, golf veteran Mickelson made a bold prediction on social media, saying Scheffler wouldn’t claim a single PGA Tour victory before the Ryder Cup begins in New York this September.
Since then, Scheffler has convincingly proven the veteran wrong, securing the CJ Cup Byron Nelson by eight strokes, winning the Memorial Tournament, the PGA Championship and, most recently, The Open Championship.
Prior to Scheffler’s incredible recent run of success, Mickelson posted on X: “Here’s a hot take: Does Scottie win in 2025 before the Ryder Cup? I don’t think so.”
During his appearance on the Pardon My Take podcast, Scheffler was asked whether he saw Mickelson’s post, to which he replied: “I did see the Phil Mickelson tweet. It was a great tweet.”
When quizzed further about whether he believed Mickelson meant to say he wouldn’t win anything at all, but held back to avoid undermining the USA’s Ryder Cup prospects, the world No. 1 said: “I would agree with that.
“I think that’s what he was trying to say. But you can’t say that America is going to lose the Ryder Cup when you are an American. So he kind of threw in that little cookie there at the end. Phil is not dumb. Phil is very smart.”
When the host noted that Mickelson’s tweet was “dumb” because of the number of titles he has won, Scheffler, sporting a wry smile on his face, rubbed salt in the six-time major winner’s wounds by saying: “It didn’t age very well.”
Mickelson, a winner of three Masters titles, two PGA Championships and the US Open, has conceded he was mistaken about Scheffler. Following a jibe from NBC analyst Kevin Kisner, Mickelson responded on X: “I’ve never been afraid to make mistakes on the course or off, knowing I’ll have to deal with scrutiny from the public, media, or social media.
“I’ve already acknowledged I was wrong on this. This is a good example of why so many people are afraid to put themselves out there and compete or take risks, because they know it’ll be thrown back in their face and they can’t handle it.
“Fortunately that’s not ever been my problem. But others struggle dealing with the heat and scrutiny that professional sports and being in the public eye brings, and drives many away from the game.”
Scheffler is expected to be a key player for Team USA in their Ryder Cup campaign. He was a captain’s pick in the 2021 event, which the USA dominated 19-9, and also participated in the 2023 tournament, albeit on the losing team in Rome.