Scottie Scheffler’s killer instinct was on full display in an interview with Amanda Balionis that CBS decided not to air.
Scheffler was three shots back of leader Viktor Hovland at the conclusion of the third round of the Tour Championship last month when he sat down with Balionis to discuss his chances heading into the final round.
The interview never made it to air due to CBS running out of time in its broadcast window, but announcer Colt Knost revealed the crux of the chat, which spoke volumes about the world No. 1’s mentality. He would duly reel Hovland in before cruising to victory in the final round at East Lake, winning his second FedEx Cup title and becoming the richest winner in PGA Tour history.
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Former PGA Tour pro-turned-broadcaster Knost said Scheffler was confident he had the tournament in his hands, despite giving Hovland a head start.
“I really wish we would have aired this, I have no idea why we didn’t,” Knost told the ‘SubPar’ podcast. “Obviously we were out at 7 p.m. local time there on Saturday.
“Viktor Hovland was the final pairing there and he comes off the green, and interviews with Amanda [Balionis]. Well, before that, Scottie Scheffler sat down with Amanda to do a little interview, but we didn’t get to air it on the CBS window because we ran out of time.”
Scheffler had absolute confidence despite giving Hovland a substantial head start -Credit:Getty Images
Knost said Balionis asked Scheffler what the winning score would be in the PGA Tour’s $40 million finale, to which the four-time major champion replied: “Whatever I shoot.”
Knost admitted CBS missed a big opportunity to give viewers a glimpse at Scheffler’s true personality as a competitor, with the footage going unused.
“I don’t know why we didn’t show this the next day because I thought it was awesome,” he continued. “It shows Scottie being a little funny but also how much he believes in himself. He’s a killer.
“We talk about all these guys. I mean, you gotta be a son of a b—- out there on the golf course and you’ve got to have that dog in you, and you gotta have that killer instinct, and Scottie Scheffler’s got that. You see it, he is so competitive, one of the most competitive people I’ve ever met.”
Balionis’ interview never saw the light of day, but she offered glowing praise for the world No. 1. She wrote on Instagram: “We are firmly in the Scottie Scheffler era… and my goodness is this fun. Today, world No. 1 claimed his 22nd win and 2nd FedExCup all in a four-year span.
“It’s hard to wrap my head around the consistency and pure competitive nature we have witnessed from Scheffler every single time he tees it up. His intrinsic motivation is something you see from the 1 percent of the 1 percent of elite athletes, and it’s been a privilege to be a small part of the team that brings these moments to our viewers all season.”