AUSTIN, Texas — Doug Ghim is getting used to his friend's winning ways.
Ghim and his buddy Scottie Scheffler were teammates on the University of Texas golf team from 2014-2018. Scheffler has created a buzz on the PGA Tour this season, winning three of his last five starts entering The Masters.
“Recently, every single time I text him it seems to be a congrats text," Ghim said.
Ghim said his teammate's rise to the top of the golf world is not a surprise because of a particular trait that Scheffler possesses.
“He's always trying to do a putting competition or chipping competition. He’s so competitive with anything that we do," Ghim said.
Beau Hossler was a Longhorn teammate for two years. Like Ghim, he noticed Scheffler's affinity for competition.
“He's competitive across the board," Hossler said. "We play ping pong, and he’s punching holes through walls.”
This destruction has been channeled into domination on the golf course because of the way that Scheffler is wired.
“I’ve always been fiercely competitive," Scheffler said. " For me, I enjoy the challenge of playing out here every week. Just competing out here is really fun for me and being able to win tournaments is pretty awesome.”
His hot streak has taken him to the top of the Official World Golf Rankings. The 25-year-old is the sixth youngest to reach No. 1 since the rankings began in 1986.
“He's got a lot of competitive fire and I think he knows how to channel that really well," Hossler said. "Clearly has a really good golf game as well, but I think the defining feature for him is his competitive spirit.”
A close second is Scheffler's genuine personality.
“He's such a good dude. We enjoy being around him on and off the golf course," Hossler said. "World class guy, world class player, and obviously really happy for him.”
“He's always been a special player, special guy," Ghim said. "We'll go hang out and we'll talk to each other and a lot of times we're around each other. It's just like back at school."
Which is exactly the guy Scheffler wants to be, no matter where his golf game takes him.
“I don't feel like No. 1 in the world," said Scheffler after winning the Dell Match Play. "I feel like the same guy I was four months ago, and I hope that doesn't change.”