“No. 1 is better than No. 2” - Scottie Scheffler has eyes set on the top prize in 2023

Scottie Scheffler had a strong season in 2022. He won The Masters and became the No. 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings. However, he eventually fell and lost the top rank to Rory McIlroy. Now, the golfer has revealed that he is wasting no time dwelling on the past and is ready to take back the World No. 1 spot.

Coming into this week’s The American Express, Scheffler said that he feels he “improved a lot.” The American golfer said that he continues to improve and is looking forward to bringing back his top form. The golfer also addressed his plans for the year and said that he has his eyes set on the World No. 1 spot. Stating that he is “focused on trying to win,” Scheffler added that “No. 1 is better than No. 2.”

Speaking during a pre-tournament news conference ahead of the 2023 American Express at the La Quinta Country Club, Scottie Scheffler said:

“Yeah, I feel like I’ve improved a lot since this point last year. I feel like I’ve added new things to my game, and I’m continuing to improve at certain aspects that I’ve been working on. I’ve seen some results now, which is exciting.”

He added:

“It’s just fine-tuning stuff, so I guess you could say it’s physical. Just trying to become more consistent I would say is probably the biggest thing.”

The golfer further spoke about sitting at No. 2 behind Rory McIlroy after spending most of 2022 at No. 1.

He stated:

“No, I’m focused on trying to put myself in position to win the tournament. I have no idea what a finish or win would do for me in the world ranking. I haven’t checked in a while, but I know I’m still No. 2 and No. 1 is better than No. 2. I don’t focus too much on that stuff. For me, it’s always best to stay present and continue to work on the things that I’ve been working on for many, many years.”

Scottie Scheffler’s best finish at The American Express came in 2020 when he finished third. The golfer will be looking to improve on his 25th-place finish from last year in this year's event.

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Scottie Scheffler confident about his 'good form'

Scottie Scheffler said that he feels like he’s in good form coming into this week’s event. Despite playing only two tournaments since November, the golfer seems positive about winning the upcoming event.

He said:

“Yeah, I feel like I’ve been playing solid recently. Hitting it really nice and making some putts. So, hopefully, this week, I’ll hit it a little bit better and make a few more putts and be there towards the end and hopefully get a win. But my game feels like it’s in a good spot, trending in the right direction and starting to see some results, which is fun.”

It is pertinent to note that Scheffler’s last two results were respectable. The golfer finished second on a stacked field in the Hero Challenge in early December and finished T7 in the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January. With his main rival McIlroy not playing this week’s American Express, it’ll be interesting to see how the American performs at the event.