Scottie Scheffler Loses His Composure as Fans Taunt Him Over Max Homa—Psychological Warfare Gets the Best of the Champion!
Scottie Scheffler struggles to tune out rowdy fan comments about Max Homa at the WM Phoenix Open. Did the intense crowd pressure rattle the world No. 1?
Scheffler Battles the Noise at the WM Phoenix Open
The WM Phoenix Open is known for its electrifying atmosphere, but even top players like Scottie Scheffler can struggle with the intense crowd engagement. The world No. 1 admitted that while the energy at TPC Scottsdale is mostly positive, the loud and often unsolicited advice from fans can play mind games with golfers—sometimes making a real impact on their focus.
Scheffler, the reigning Masters champion, shot a bogey-free 5-under 66 in Friday’s second round, keeping himself in contention for what could be his 14th PGA Tour title. However, he acknowledged that blocking out the noise at this tournament is harder than at most.
“The crowd is a bigger factor this week than it is at other events,” Scheffler explained, referencing the raucous par-3 16th hole, where fan interaction reaches another level.
Max Homa Heckling Throws Scheffler Off Balance
During his press conference, Scottie Scheffler, shared a moment from the first round that highlighted how difficult it can be to ignore the crowd.
“Yesterday on No. 6, Max [Homa] had a 12- to 15-foot putt, and someone in the crowd yelled out, ‘It’s dead straight!’” Scheffler recounted.
“Then Max starts reading the putt, and the same guy yells, ‘Stop reading it, Max, it’s dead straight!’—he just kept shouting. So you can’t not hear it.”
Scheffler admitted that players have to make split-second decisions about whether to block out the advice or consider it.
“You start wondering—has this guy been sitting here all day? Maybe he knows something? It’s a tough balancing act out there.”
Despite his usual calm demeanor, Scheffler’s frustration showed as he reflected on the distraction factor at the event.
“A lot of it you just can’t avoid hearing, so you do your best to block it out over the shot.”
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Bouncing Back After an Unusual Offseason
This tournament marks Scheffler’s second event of 2025, as he missed the opening stretch of the season following an unexpected injury. The 28-year-old underwent surgery on his right hand after cutting it on a wine glass stem while making ravioli with his wife, Meredith, over Christmas.
Returning to competition, Scheffler showed solid form by finishing inside the top 10 at Pebble Beach last week. Now, he’s looking to build momentum in Scottsdale.
Who’s Leading the Pack?
While Scheffler remains within striking distance, Thomas Detry currently sits atop the leaderboard after an impressive 7-under 64 in the second round.
- Detry leads at 12-under, two shots ahead of Alex Smalley.
- Tom Kim holds third place at 9-under.
With the weekend rounds ahead, all eyes will be on Scheffler to see if he can tune out the noise and reclaim his dominant form—or if the Phoenix crowd will continue to throw him off his game.
