Scottie Scheffler and his new prized possession, the Green Jacket, are starting to make the rounds in his hometown of Dallas.
After skipping out on some of the typical post-major victory media tours in New York City and on The Late Show, Scheffler, who won the Masters on April 10, threw out the first pitch at the Texas Rangers home game against the Houston Astros on Wednesday — in the jacket, buttoned no less and a nifty Masters tie to boot. (The pitch was better than most, but high and definitely a ball.)
“They said aim high and I hit his club,” Scheffler said with a chuckle. “I made it there; I didn’t bounce it.”
Walking off the mound, he casually said to the Texas Rangers player who caught the pitch, “Let me know if you ever want to play golf,” and the player made it sound as if he’d take him up on that offer tomorrow. Scheffler stayed and watched the game with his wife Meredith, even changing into a Rangers jersey.
And he’s not done on the local sporting circuit: a press release from the NHL’s Dallas Stars said that Scheffler will participate in the ceremonial puck drop prior to the team’s 2021-22 regular-season finale on Friday, April 29 against the Anaheim Ducks at American Airlines Center.
Scheffler, the World No. 1, played in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans last week with partner Ryan Palmer. When asked during their press conference where he had taken the Green Jacket, he said he’d only had it at home.
“When my wife asks me to do stuff at home, sometimes I’ll grab it out of the closet and look at her, huh, really? It hasn’t worked yet,” he said. “Yeah, I’ve just had some fun with it at home. I haven’t really done anything special. I haven’t taken it out of the house. I think I’m the only one that can take the jacket off property. So I want to do a good job of representing Augusta National well, and I got to bring it back at the end of next year. Since I’m almost the representation of the Green Jacket outside of the club, I’m treating it with respect. I’m not going to do anything crazy with it.”
It’s a new week. The first pitch and dropping the puck? Those apparently are fine. And why stop there — Scheffler should totally announce the first round draft choice for the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night while wearing the Green Jacket. Perhaps the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks — who are on the road Thursday — can have Scheffler do the opening tip if their playoff series goes seven games with the Utah Jazz on Sunday. After all, it’s Texas, where you’ve got to go big or go home.