Major champions on Scheffler's 'what's the point' soliloquy
Given his standing in the game and the perception that he takes everything in his Texan stride, Scheffler entangling himself with the great imponderable of his existence has naturally caused a stir around Royal Portrush. First up in the media tent on Wednesday was JJ Spaun. Just 31 days removed from winning the US Open, the 34-year-old was well-placed to offer his view on Scheffler's comments on the ephemeral sensation of winning. "I believe there's some truth behind Scottie's words," said Spaun. "Yeah, you do have these high aspirations, these dreams to accomplish things in golf at the highest level, and then you do and it happens so quick. You're so elated, and then all of a sudden it's like, now what?"I tried to sink it in as much as possible, and it did, but it's a weird feeling. I never thought I would win a major. A few years ago I was just trying to get in them. So I think, yeah, there's some testament to that."
Justin Rose was the next player into the news conference room. Like Scheffler, the Englishman has been the world's leading player, has won a major and an Olympic gold medal. In his 27 years on tour, Rose has developed a reputation as one of golf's most compelling talkers, and when asked about Scheffler's perspective, he said he could certainly relate. "I've been in that similar situation in terms of getting to world number one," said the 44-year-old who won the US Open in 2013 and the Olympic title in 2016. "It's something you strive and strive and strive and strive for, and you achieve it and you're like, oh OK, it's not necessarily what you imagine it to be, but the work and the journey to get there is the thrill. That's the exciting part."What keeps me going is just be better tomorrow as a person and as a golfer than I am today and that's enough. "You want it to manifest into tournament wins and ticking off your goals and your dreams, but really the journey and the process of getting there is where you have to try to find the enjoyment."
Padraig Harrington has been around even longer than Rose. What, then, did the three-time major winner make of the Scheffler soliloquy? "I don't want to compare myself to him, but I genuinely still have a real love for this game and enjoy every bit," he said. "It brings me tremendous satisfaction and I don't think I have to shy away from that. "Just because I love golf doesn't make me a bad father or bad parent. They're separate entities, you can enjoy everything there is about golf and still be good elsewhere. I just love playing golf.When pressed about still feeling fulfilled on the course, 30 years after turning pro, he said he still "loves practising, hitting shots and dreaming of what can be". Going back to Scheffler, two-time Open champion Harrington added: "He was being honest, but those people are going to ask him about that for a long time."He obviously loves to practice, I just don't think he loves the grind of it. I don't think he needs to separate it. "I've often said this later on in my life, I wish I'd spent more time enjoying my wins when they happened."Whoever takes the Claret Jug home from Portrush on Sunday, maybe they will have Scheffler's words ringing in their ears. Maybe it will allow them to enjoy an Open win that bit longer.
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Horse racing tips: ‘He will finish like a train' – Templegate's BIG 22-1 NAP and 1-2-3 King George prediction at Ascot
TEMPLEGATE tackles a monster Saturday of racing confident of bashing the bookies. The big race of the day is the King George from Ascot at 4.10pm - back a horse by clicking their odds below and check out this 92-1 each-way double we think has a chance of landing. SWORD (3.00 Ascot, nap) Looks sharp in the big £150,000 International Handicap. He struck at Leicester earlier this summer before going close in hot company at Haydock. David O'Meara's hope was unlucky at York last time and will be finishing strongly. The bottom weight was unlucky at York last time and looks ideal for this trip on quick ground. Needs a bit of luck coming late but has enough quality. CALANDAGAN (4.10 Ascot, nb) He has finally lost his nearly horse tag thanks to a blistering Group 1 win at St Cloud last time out. With that win under his belt he can turn the tables on Jan Brueghel who narrowly outmuscled him in the Coronation Cup at Epsom last time. That track clearly didn't suit the French raider who went down by just half a length in the end. He was a sparkling winner of the King Edward VII here last year so course and distance are ideal. Read on for my King George 1-2-3 prediction. He looks hard to beat after his impressive effort at Sandown last time out in May. He got the better of Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard and he went on to frank the form in style at Royal Ascot. This trip is ideal and some cut in the ground suits too. ASCOT 1.40 FITZELLA ran a cracker in the Albany here when she was much the best of the high-drawn horses and those up with the pace early. That was just her third run, and the daughter of Too Darn Hot already boasts a dominant Haydock maiden win, where she powered clear. The Dubawi filly is sister to Breeders' Cup hero Space Blues so is bred to be top class. She could improve significantly. Bella Lyra also brings Listed form to the table, having gone down narrowly in a strong Newmarket contest. Her smooth Windsor win before that was eye-catching and Ryan Moore keeps the ride. Amberia and Argentine Tango are closely tied in with Bella Lyra and have place claims. 2.20 JANCIS ran a stormer last time out in the Group 1 Pretty Polly at The Curragh, finishing fifth behind top-class Whirl and staying on nicely. She already has a Group 3 success on her CV from last season and dropping back to a mile holds no fears. Royal Dress is a big player after a dominant Listed win at Pontefract and she's shown her best over this distance. All ground suits and she won't be far away. Chantilly Lace brings strong Royal Ascot form from the Coronation where she still looked green after just three runs. The fact she was in that race shows what Ralph Beckett thinks of her and this should be easier. Cajole was just a length away in a Sandown Listed race last time and likes quick ground. The booking of William Buick for the Gosdens takes the eye. Lou Lou's Gift needed the run at Chelmsford after a year off and could nick a place. SWORD looks sharp in the £150,000 International Handicap (3.00 Ascot). He struck at Leicester earlier this summer before going close in hot company at Haydock. David O'Meara's hope was unlucky at York last time and will be finishing strongly. Akkadian Thunder, Aalto and Kodi Lion look the biggest dangers. Here's my big-race guide and rating out of five, with one the worst and five the best: ZOUM ZOUM 2 ZOUM raider. Listed second earlier this season but faded in the Wokingham and stamina a worry over this trip in a strongly-run race. CITY HOUSE 1 SIN City. Tidy Bahrain record but poor UK form and needs cheekpieces to work wonders. ARRAY 3 RAY of hope. Group 2 win last season on soft but form has dipped a little. Stays and may do better in hcap. NORTHERN EXPRESS 3 EXPRESS delivery. Won this last year and shaped well at Haydock last time. Solid chance from 2lb lower. GOLDEN MIND 2 MIND games. Consistent in early season but poor in the Wokingham last time. Good claimer on but needs more. GALERON 3 ON the hunt. Well handicapped on past Group form and shaped better than result last time. Place say. AKKADIAN THUNDER 4 THUNDER clap. Excellent second in the Buckingham Palace and no luck last time. Can produce another late surge and hit the frame. OLIVER SHOW 2 NO Show. Three AW wins last year and close second in the Lincoln before a poor run ehre latest. Needs best. YORKSHIRE 3 YORK talk. Fair run in Buckingham Palace and 1lb lower now. Likes it quick and can't be ignored. FRESH 3 GET Fresh. Won this in 2022 off 3lb higher and fitter for his comeback at Newcastle. Veteran but in place hunt. CERULEAN BAY 2 NAY Bay. In and out this year and below form in big handicaps. Needs more from this pretty lofty mark. NOBLE TRUTH 2 TRUTH or dare. Group winner in his prime but out of sorts this season and difficult to fancy despite falling handicap mark. BILLYJOH 3 GO Joh. Running well in major handicaps and Bunbury Cup third reads well so place claims again if pace collapses. KODI LION 4 LION roars. Impressive in a big field at Haydock and has good C&D form. Had excuses last time and should go close. QAZAQ 3 ZAQ attack. Cracking AW record and some promise over this trip at HQ last time. Can do better. AALTO 4 AALTO play for. Stormed home when second in Bunbury Cup and runs off same mark. Trip suits and William Buick takes over. LORD BERTIE 2 LORD help him. Has run well here before but recent form is poor and this looks tough. TWO TRIBES 2 TWO much. Long losing run but promise over this trip at HQ latest. This is tougher. CLASSIC 3 HAS Class. Ran well to land nice prize at Sandown last time over a mile. Drop in trip not ideal but a repeat could see him place. PALS BATTALION 1 NO Punter's Pal. Won on AW in spring but turf efforts have been poor this season. Hard to fancy. AL AMEEN 1 AL pass. Useful AW form and best over this trip but has sights raised here. SWORD 5 MIGHTY Sword. Bottom weight was unlucky at York last time and looks ideal for this trip on quick ground. Needs a bit of luck coming late but has enough quality. 3.35 BOPEDRO is a consistent performer at this level and he ran another massive race when less than a length away at York last time. His last Ascot run saw him go close in the Royal Hunt Cup so this straight mile is right up his street. He has plenty of weight but should be right there. Bullet Point sets the standard after his second in the Hunt Cup on top of three wins. A 3lb rise is fair and he'll go close for William Haggas albeit at a fairly skinny price. Teroomm met with real traffic problems in the Buckingham Palace here last time but had been in fine form earlier and could easily bounce back. All-weather winner Cosi Bello went close on his turf debut at Chester and is another in the mix along with Supido who ran well in the Britannia. 4.10 CALANDAGAN has finally lost his nearly horse tag thanks to a blistering Group 1 win at St Cloud last time out. With that win under his belt he can turn the tables on Jan Brueghel who narrowly outmuscled him in the Coronation Cup at Epsom last time. That track clearly didn't suit the French raider who went down by just half a length in the end. He was a sparkling winner of the King Edward VII here last year so course and distance are ideal. Jan Breughel is the one to fear again given he comes here fresher having not run since Epsom. He is a strong stayer but it's interesting to see Aidan O'Brien put cheekpieces on him today which should sharpen him up. It should be another good battle between the pair. Rebel's Romance is proven at this level and will be no pushover, but may just the legs of his younger rivals. Kalpana is a smashing filly. She's an Ascot Group 1 on her CV and gets weight, but she'll still need to find more to shine in this company. My 1-2-3 is: 1st Calandagan 2nd Jan Brueghel 3rd Rebel's Romance 2.00 ALZAHIR can keep his fantastic winning run going. He brought up the hat-trick well in a big field at Ascot last time and can cope with a 3lb rise in the weights. He will like this test and goes on any ground. There's every chance of the four-timer. Plenty of others lurk with chances. Elmonjed went close at Windsor and is still on a fair mark, while Strike Red, often the bridesmaid, gets conditions to suit and is weighted to go close. Jubilee Walk ran a cracker behind Alzahir at Chester on return and should come on for that, especially with a more prominent ride. Brooklyn Nine Nine is progressive and stayed on strongly to win last time – he's unexposed at this level and won't mind the ground. And don't give up on Korker, who returns to his favourite track. 2.40 ALMAQAM looks hard to beat after his impressive effort at Sandown last time out in May. He got the better of Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard and he went on to frank the form in style at Royal Ascot. This trip is ideal and some cut in the ground suits too. Stanhope Gardens was a respectable fifth in the Derby when he didn't seem to stay 1m4f after travelling well. Dropping in trip looks a wise move and he's another who handles slowish ground. Green Impact was sixth in the Irish Derby latest after winning a Listed contest around this trip. He has enough pace to be competitive for Jessica Harrington. Bay City Roller is proven in this grade and just about stayed this far in France last time so can't be ignored. 3.20 COPPER KNIGHT has a solid York record and the 11-year-old has looked up to the task this season in winning twice before going close here last time out. He's scored off marks 20lb higher than this in his prime and has enough boot left to strike here for Tim Easterby. He goes on any ground and his middle draw gives him options. Bona Fortuna has been knocking on the door over this trip and is only 2lb higher than his last win. He doesn't mind a bit of juice underfoot. 2022 winner Birkenhead went close at Ripon last time and is capable of holding on for a place if blasting off as usual with trainer Paul Midgley in decent nick. Fortunate Star is in flying form having won at Haydock before going close at Donny latest. He should still be ahead of the handicapper and likes this trip. Looking For Lynda is out of sorts but enjoys York and could hit the frame at tasty odds. Templegate's tips Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. 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