Welcome back to SI Golf’s Fact or Fiction, where we are ready for some U.S. Open carnage.
Once again, we’re here to debate a series of statements for writers and editors to declare as “Fact” or “Fiction” along with a brief explanation. Responses may also (occasionally) be “Neutral” since there's a lot of gray area in golf.
Do you agree or disagree? Let us know on the SI Golf X account.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda tied for the second at the U.S. Women’s Open and is now 0-for-10 as a pro in the biggest women’s major. Her likely Hall-of-Fame career will be diminished if she never gets a Women’s Open.
Bob Harig: FICTION. Nancy Lopez never won the U.S. Women’s Open. Sam Snead never won the U.S. Open. Nobody diminishes their careers. Clearly it would be big to do so. She has plenty of time.
John Pluym: FICTION. Korda was right there on Sunday before a bogey on 13 cost her a chance to win the major for the first time. I don’t think it’s a matter of never winning a U.S. Women’s Open for Korda. I think it’s a matter of when she wins it. She’s just too good not to win it. And her five consecutive victories in 2024 make her Hall-of-Fame worthy, in my opinion.
Jeff Ritter: FICTION. I suppose if she pulled a Phil Mickelson and finished runner-up at the USWO a bunch of times it would leave a mark. But she’s already a two-time major with a record-breaking tournament win streak and a lengthy stay at the No. 1 ranking. I don’t think the USWO is likely to sting her—but let’s also make sure she does eventually lands the points for Hall of Fame induction. If she somehow came up short, that would diminish her.
John Schwarb: NEUTRAL. “Diminished” is a heavy word and I can’t go that far, but one can argue that Korda is the most transcendent American women’s golfer since Nancy Lopez—and Lopez famously never won a U.S. Women’s Open. She was second or T2 four times and the last runner-up, in 1997 at age 40, left her in tears. At age 26, Korda will have many more chances but a national championship needs to be on her resume.
Sitting next to Scottie Scheffler at the Memorial Tournament winner’s press conference, Jack Nicklaus said “he’s playing better than I played and more consistent.” The GOAT was being overly nice.
Bob Harig: FACT. Scheffler is playing incredibly consistent golf. And beating people by big margins. But Jack had 35 top-10s in majors out of 40 in the 1970s. That’s just one of his amazing stats. Scottie is great. He’s been doing it for less than four seasons.
John Pluym: FACT. How do you not listen to what the GOAT says (although I do disagree with him on walk-and-talk interviews)? Scheffler is the best player in the game. He’s on a Tiger Woods–type run. However, Scheffler needs to do it consistently over an extended period before you can say he’s playing better than Nicklaus.
Jeff Ritter: FACT. Jack won 18 majors and also famously came in second 19 times. Scottie’s on a great run, but Nicklaus did it for such a ridiculously long amount of time. I think he’ll forever be the king of consistency.
John Schwarb: FACT. Scheffler is only 28. If he’s sitting next to Nicklaus five years from now at age 33 (and when Jack is 90, knock on wood) with the career Grand Slam completed and about 35 to 40 Tour wins, then the comparisons would be more apt. Yet the Golden Bear would still get the nod.
With his play over the last six weeks, which has included two wins, a T8 at the PGA and a second at the Memorial, Ben Griffin should have a spot on this year’s U.S. Ryder Cup team regardless of how he plays the rest of the season.
Bob Harig: FICTION. When you’ve never been on a team—never even been in the picture—it’s all about what you do now. Griffin might very well make it on his own. If he doesn’t, then it’s about playing well in July and August leading up to the picks. A cool stretch over the next three months does not help at Bethpage.
John Pluym: FICTION. Griffin is playing incredibly well, but let’s pump the brakes on him making the Ryder Cup team until the end of the season. It’s one thing to play well during the middle of the schedule. It’s another to do it in the majors and the biggest pressure event in golf.
Jeff Ritter: FICTION. Griffin is on a tear, but he’s not going to make this team in May. He’ll either need to qualify for the team on points or flash this kind of form in August so that captain Keegan has no choice but to add him.
John Schwarb: FACT. The U.S. team needs new blood and I’m ready to say Griffin is part of the answer, even in early June.
Jordan Spieth fired a shot from the rough at Muirfield Village on Sunday that flew perilously close to spectators. These are the best players in the world but the fans shouldn’t be allowed so close to the action.
Bob Harig: FACT. This is not a place where ropes are and he was hitting in an awkward spot. Perhaps this is the reminder that fans need to be moved considerably farther back in such situations.
John Pluym: FACT. Take it from someone who took a golf ball to the head and a few stitches: These guys can hook and slice a golf ball, especially out of deep rough. I’ve always been amazed at how close fans can stand to the rope line. And I’ve seen a player hit a fan during a practice round at a U.S. Open a few years back. The Tour should force fans to stand back.
Jeff Ritter: FACT. It always amazes me at Tour events how closely fans are allowed to hug the ropeline when players stray from the fairway. One of these days someone is going to get seriously hurt.
John Schwarb: FACT. Such close-up access is what makes pro golf great, but standing so close on the right to a righthander hitting from unpredictable rough is asking for trouble. The Tour and tournament marshals need to save fans from themselves sometimes.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fact or Fiction: Scottie Scheffler Isn’t Better Than Jack Nicklaus.