Legacy? Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler are comfortable leaving that for another day

SOUTHPORT, England — Rory McIlroy began shaking his head before the question had even finished. He looked down at the microphone nearby and, after a brief pause, delivered a cutting response. “I don’t really care,” he said. “I’ll be dead. Six feet under. I don’t think I’ll be a ghost, so yeah … I don’t care.”

Welcome to the wonderful world of preview media at The Open Championship. Where the joint-favourite and one of the most popular players in the field is discussing death.

Of course, a little context is necessary. McIlroy, the back-to-back Masters champion, was answering a question about whether leaving a legacy motivated him and chose to respond in a non-committal way.  Yet what made for a more sobering mood inside the interview room on the grounds of Royal Birkdale, the host of the 154th Open, was that Scottie Scheffler was at it, too. In response to a similar question about whether he’s bothered by the public opinion of his golfing record, he said:

“To be completely honest, not really. I don’t really play for a place in history. I’m not playing for anything like that because — this is going to sound a little morbid — at the end of the day, I’m going to live my life, and it’s going to end. When it ends, I’m going somewhere else, and I’m not going to be here anymore.”

So while the sunshine may be warming the crowds here at Southport, the best players in the world are struggling to find any fitting words of inspiration.

Fortunately, they’re not paid to entertain us with their opinions, but instead what they do out on the course. We’ll all be talking — and writing — about something different in the days ahead, and no doubt the two best players in the business will feature in the storylines.

And how exactly should they answer anyway?

While there was awkward laughter in the room and a few surprised faces, this is still a topic discussed at almost every major and because both players have achieved more than most golfers can ever dream of, they’re always the ones tasked with finding the answer.

It’s one of the reasons why Scheffler made headlines at last year’s Open Championship when he said he was struggling to find a reason why he still competes. His point was that as World No.1, he’s always expected to be successful, and anytime he falls short, there’s always a question asking why it went wrong.

“I guess the point for me was like always figuring out your why, like why am I doing this? Why do I want to win this tournament so badly? Why do I choose to play this sport for a living? When I have a really good understanding of what my why is when I’m playing, I think that’s when I’m always at — like I’m at peace the most.”

Being remembered for all his success on the golf course is not something that crosses his mind, though, and that’s totally fine.

“Legacy and all that stuff was never really something that motivated me,” he continued.

“For me, it was always competition. I loved playing golf. I loved waking up with butterflies because I’m going out to play a tournament and I get a chance to compete today. I love those feelings, and when I retire, I’m going to miss them. I’ve never been one to play for history or legacy or anything like that.”

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that Scheffler has only just turned 30. McIlroy, now greying and a little older at 37, has been around longer, but is this really the stage of their lives when they reflect on what was, rather than what can still be? Their burning desire to win never fades, but it comes at a cost of always being in the spotlight.

The golf season is also a grind and taxing on those competing at the top. Take this week, for example. Scheffler knew, as the man in possession of the Claret Jug, that he would be a little busier than most because of the history he has with this competition. Yet when he missed the cut for the first time in four years at the Scottish Open last week, he arrived early at Royal Birkdale, hoping to take advantage of a quiet course, only to find spectators on-site, some of whom he had to ask to keep their distance when he was preparing for a shot.

“I love being able to play in front of fans; that’s a tremendous amount of fun. But I get to the bunker on the first hole, and I turn around, and within 6 feet of me there’s literally two cameras right in my face. I turn around and look at the guys, like, hey, y’all, are you going to be this close all day, or could we get a little bit of room? I think, just being in the spotlight all the time puts a burden on a player in this day and age. Everything is being recorded and that can drain people.”

So can the constant pressure of finding the right words. Scheffler is a four-time major champion who only needs a U.S Open to join McIlroy in the career Grand Slam club. He’s one of the best golfers to have ever lived. McIlroy is, too, and if neither of them cares about their standing in the all-time ranking, and are happy with playing to win each week, then so be it.

When they’re old and retired, we can revisit the topic, and perhaps then we’ll get a better answer.