"Golf doesn't define me as a person" - Scottie Scheffler, other PGA Tour pros open up on the importance of mental well-being

AT&T Byron Nelson - Round Two
Scottie Scheffler is currently playing at the AT&T Byron Nelson

World No. 2 Scottie Scheffler has seen some highest of highs over a couple of years but he doesn't like to get this in his head. He feels golf doesn't define his personality and it is the same irrespective of the result.

"For me, golf doesn't define who I am as a person," said Scheffler. "If I shoot 75 tomorrow here in the tournaments, I'm not going to be defined by the 75, and it's going to be the same thing if I shoot 59. I'm not going to be any different if I play good or if I played bad."
"You know golf is just something that I do. Doesn't define who I am, and that's pretty much how I'm trying to live."

Just like any other sport, PGA Tour professionals are not away from mental health problems. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and numerous PGA Tour professionals offered their experiences and perspectives on mental health issues, as well as how they stay sane amidst the highs and lows of the game.

During the pre-event press conference of the Wells Fargo Championship, Max Homa was asked about his learnings of the relationship between the golf game and mental health.

"Everybody seems to have like a lull," said Homa. "Every time I go to my physical, my golf swing, my putting stroke, whatever, as much as those are probably an issue, you're always, as they say, a lot closer to being back to playing great golf physically than you think you are and every time I seem to forget that."
"It starts kind of between the ears and it's going to be a lot easier if I can flex that muscle"

Rickie Fowler said that mental health was definitely a serious thing and that having the right people around is always a big help.

"I think the biggest thing is you think you have to be like strong by not saying anything or not showing it," said Fowler. "It's like kind of owning it and accepting or like talking and letting it out, that's ultimately kind of being strong and showing that you're human, and sometimes that helps at least with progress in moving forward, just letting it out and trying to fight it."

Xander Schauffele said he always worked on half empty-half-full approach and liked to take half full approach.

"Try to be positive off the course because it'll bleed on the course," he said. "Like we referred to earlier, golf is a game of a bunch of losers. Since only one guy wins and you've got to find perspective in that."

Scottie Scheffler leads at the AT&T Byron Nelson after two rounds.

Scheffler finished Day 2 with another 64 to aggregate at -14 after two rounds of the AT&T Byron Nelson. Scheffler jumped to the top of the leaderboard from T4, leading over Ryan Palmer and Mckenize Hughes by a single-stroke margin.

Si Woo Kim is in fifth place at 11-under followed by Richy Werenski at 10-under.

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Edited by Krutik Jain
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