Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy discuss their thoughts on legacy ahead of The Open: 'we're all going to die'

Scottie Scheffler missed the cut at the Scottish Open, making it the first cut he has missed in nearly four years. (This video contains AI-assisted content)

There's nothing like the final major of the golf calendar to turn some of the world's best players into philosophers. Especially when that final major is The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, where an extremely dried out course is expected to lead to firm fairways and tougher conditions.

Heading into this week's tournament, the defending Champion Golfer of the Year is world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who has had a bit of a rocky season by his extremely high standards, including a surprising missed cut at the Genesis Scottish Open last week. But before Scheffler won last year's tournament at Royal Portrush, he famously said "What is the point of it all?" when discussing what winning and on-course success means to win.

Well, something about the UK must make Scheffler a bit introspective, because he's at it again this year. When asked about those comments and whether he plays for his legacy or history, Scheffler couldn't resist cracking a bit of a "morbid" joke about it.

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Scottie Scheffler of the United States is interviewed on the ninth hole during the Heroes Classic prior to The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England, on July 14, 2026. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

"To be completely honest, not really. I don’t really play, like, for a place in history," he said. "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,