Scottie Scheffler 'feeling ready' to defend title at the Memorial - ESPN

Scottie Scheffler enters the Memorial Tournament as the defending champion, but that doesn't make him feel overconfident as he prepares for Thursday's opening round in Dublin, Ohio.

«When you show up to an event, everybody's at even par,» Scheffler told reporters Wednesday. «People ask, I feel like a lot, 'What's it like defending this week?' I'm like, 'Well, what does that do for me? Nothing'. I have some experience on the golf course that can be helpful, but at the end of the day, you start even par, and I want to be in contention on Sunday, and you definitely don't show up too high or too low.»

Scheffler, 28, is in the midst of another incredible season. In 11 tournaments, he has won two and finished in the top 10 eight times.

In his past six tournaments, he has won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and PGA Championship, finished T2 at the Texas Children's Houston Open, placed fourth at the Masters Tournament, was T4 last week at the Charles Schwab Challenge, and T8 at the RBC Heritage last month.

The Memorial, founded by Jack Nicklaus at his Muirfield Village Golf Club, is Scheffler's third consecutive weekly tournament. He said he is «rested enough.»

«My third week in a row, but I got some good rest to start — last week, after the PGA, I got some good rest Monday and Tuesday and had a good start at Colonial. Took my day off, came here, played nine holes yesterday, played nine holes this morning, so feeling ready for the week.»

And he said as with all events, he is not entering with a predetermined notion that he will win. Last year, he topped Collin Morikawa by one stroke, finishing at 8 under par to win the Memorial.

«If you show up with too low of expectations, not feeling like your game's in a good spot, you're probably