Scottie Scheffler hasn’t spoken to Jordan Spieth since The Open ended last weekend in England, but the world No. 1 believes he knows why his fellow Texan withdrew from this week’s 3M Open. Spieth just finished a stretch in which he played nine events in 11 weeks. It’s all part of an effort to crack the top 50 in FedEx Cup standings, which would secure his spot in next year’s high-purse Signature Events.
Spieth has already played 19 events this season, matching his total from all of last year. Yet his efforts have borne little fruit: he currently sits at No. 63 in the FedEx Cup rankings. The 3M Open was supposed to be his next chance to climb, but he withdrew after committing just 10 days prior. The tournament’s social media posts promoting his participation have since been removed, and the PGA Tour listed him as a “late withdrawal” on Friday evening.
“From my point of view it’s understandable for him to maybe need a week off, especially as he tries to grind and make his way into the Top 50 to get back into the bigger events next year,” Scheffler said at his press conference Wednesday in Blaine, Minnesota. Spieth finished near the bottom of the leaderboard at last week’s major, missing the cut at 10-over par.
Scheffler noted that golf is mentally “more of a grind than anything.” “Physically, it can wear you down as well,” he said, “but mentally it can be challenging just from … the grind it is in order to play a tournament.” Scheffler and Spieth play “a lot” of golf together at home, and he described Spieth as someone who “works super, super hard.” This week, he suggested, may have simply been the right time for a reset.
“I’m sure he’s bummed not to be here this week,” Scheffler said. “But like I said, he’s worked really hard this season and played a lot of tournaments. So I’m sure he wishes he could be here, but rest and time at home is also important as you try and play good golf.”
Exactly why Spieth reversed course remains unknown. It could be due to injury or simply a change of heart. The 3M Open had been promoting Spieth as one of its headliners, with tournament officials calling him “an iconic player” and “a great guy.” His last victory came at the 2022 RBC Heritage, more than four years ago. Despite the drought, Spieth has expressed confidence in his game. “I feel better than my results have shown,” he told reporters on July 13. “Just a mix of reasons why, but a really good opportunity this week to believe that, trust that.”
Spieth added, “I feel like I have a lot of great golf in front of me. I feel like I’m way more optimistic than I’ve been at a lot of different points in my career. I’m quite frustrated with the results considering I know where my game is at.” The 3M Open field now features Scheffler as the headliner, while Rory McIlroy is not playing. Following this event, the PGA Tour moves to the Rocket Classic, with the Tour Championship in Atlanta scheduled for August 27.
