A Grip on Sports: If Scheffler can put together another performance for the ages in Ireland on Sunday, he then engenders some debates about his place in history

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Where were we? Oh, yes, lamenting the vagaries of airline travel and lack of congeniality in our society. Or was that just a personal thing and our sports’ view was focused on players for the ages?

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• Travel can be fun. Mind-altering. Educational and entertaining concurrently. And it can also be frustrating, uncomfortable and over-the-top aggravating.

Scary too, as in the main cabin of an intercontinental airliner boils its passengers throughout the almost four flight. And the best the flight attendants – who had to use tape to fix a light in the first-class cabin – can do is apologize and say the pilots are working on it.

That opens the door to thoughts such as if the heating system and wi-fi and lights aren’t working properly, what more-essential plane components might be on the fritz? I mean, you don’t have to be a worry-wart for your mind to wander there, do you?

Thankfully, a wandering mind can be reined in with the right distraction. That’s what in-flight movie systems are for. At least partly.

Or sports. Almost completely.

The modern opiate of the masses, if you don’t mind the corruption of Karl Marx’s dictum. And you consider that a bad thing.

Not sure we do. Not today anyway. Not when we may just be able to once again wonder if an athlete on the world’s stage is one of the greatest performers ever.

Part of discerning the answer will revolve around Scottie Scheffler’s ability to hang on to at least one stroke of the four separating him from the rest of the field heading into Sunday’s final round of the 153rd Open Championship.

If he does, not only will Scheffler leave Royal Portrush with another major golf title (his fourth), he will exit Northern Ireland only needing to win a U.S. Open to have gained all four major titles at some point in his still-nascent career.

Could it take him 11 years to join that exclusive club, as it did the latest entrant, and this week’s fan favorite, Rory McIlroy? Or could he do it in 2026 at Shinnecock? Maybe he’ll never do it, joining Phil Mickelson in bemoaning his U.S. Open failures until the day he retires.  

All that’s for the future. For this Sunday?

Speculation. At least until mid-afternoon.

Though, contrary to appearances, we weren’t around but we’re pretty sure there were a few people in Scotland back in the day who argued over the relative merits of Young Tom Morris and his dad, Old Tom. Of Bobby Jones’ place in golf pantheon’s vis-à-vis Harry Vardon. Or Ben Hogan with Jones, Arnold Palmer with Hogan and down through the years with Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tom Watson, Tiger Woods or, more recently, the flavor of the month or year, against the rest.

We have always been too quick to label the next great player as, well, the greatest player. We’re pretty sure some dude with a snout full of Glenfiddich punched a fellow Edinburgh pub patron in the snout back in 1872 for having the audacity to call Young Tom the greater of the Morrises.

We’re all in with Scheffler, sure. Not to the extent we would punch anyone over it in a Scotch-induced haze or not. He’s the best golf player has to offer right now. As his performance Saturday afternoon showed.

He wasn’t close to the top of his game. Missed a few fairways and greens. Some – for him when he’s locked in – makeable putts. And still shot a 4-under 67. Took the aforementioned four-stroke lead. In an era populated by more talent than ever before.

Yet, we’re not going to anoint Scheffler the next Tiger. Or Arnie. Or even Jones.

The next Hogan? Maybe soon. After all, they both epitomize the Gary Cooper, aw-shucks demeanor of the tall, laconic Texan. Unfazed by outside influences. Focused on doing it right, over and over.

But it was Scheffler’s pre-tournament performance that got us thinking about another golf great, Nicklaus.

Golf can be a consuming passion. For such an uncontrollable game, the quest to be in control can destroy one’s psyche. We’ve seen it happen. To Tom Weiskopf. To Padraig Harrington. To Greg Norman. To David Duval. Many, many others. Even at the local country club or muni.

Hogan figured it out one way. Through repetition and practice. Nicklaus went another route. A more sustainable one. He used his family to center his mind. Putting it first, even when it was near-impossible to. Play two rounds of a tournament, hop on a plane, fly home to Columbus, Ohio to watch his son play a high school football game, fly back. And win.

We could envision Scheffler doing something similar down the road. The ability to cleanse one’s soul of the game’s demons is almost a superpower. Or a vaccine against burnout.

Again, though, that’s for down Scheffler’s road. After he’s accomplished more. Even more than is on his plate for this Sunday. We’re rooting for his continued success. Not just because of his potential as a player but his potential to reinforce the correct path to long-term success in the sport.

It’s more about what’s at home than what’s available at the local Waffle House. What can be dug out of the backyard dirt than the driving range’s grass. What’s truly important as opposed to what InstaFace or XTok purports it to be.

The foundations of long-term success.

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WSU: Isaac Jones was not drafted. Has played more in the G League than the NBA. And yet it was Jones, the former Idaho and Washington State star, who scored 36 points to lead Sacramento’s summer league squad to the finals Saturday. Theo Lawson documents Jones’ offensive explosion as the Kings’ squad moves on with a 98-88 win over the summer collection wearing Toronto uniforms. … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, Jon Wilner looks back in the Mercury News at the key happenings of the past week. … He also had a mailbag Friday. … The Mountain West is either going to be rejuvenated by its new form or it has been whistling in the wind recently. … The transfer portal has been just fine for Washington. … As has been the Huskies’ recent football recruiting. … Oregon State lost a linebacker to the portal. … We can also pass along position previews for the Beavers. The interrelated ones of quarterback and running back. … One connected aspect for Colorado’s position previews? Talent. … Arizona seems to have more too, but will it be enough to change Brent Brennan’s trajectory? … Utah State named an interim athletic director. … Boise State has a full-time one who would like to see some consistency in playoffs. … Colorado State is looking for an assistant coach. … In basketball news, the returnees for the Arizona men see more talent on the roster. … Who are the best Arizona women’s players thus far this century?

Gonzaga: Greg Lee’s series of stories on the Zag women continues today with a look at last year’s freshman phenom, guard Allie Turner, her role ahead and the chances anyone else can duplicate her success. … Ryan Nembhard showed what he could do for Dallas in three NBA Summer League games in Las Vegas. Nolan Hickman got his shot to do the same Friday and didn’t miss. Theo has that story as well. … Theo also shares the news the date for the men’s game with Arizona State has been set. … Seventy-five years ago, Gonzaga won its one and only national title. Not in basketball. Not in baseball. But in boxing. Steve Christilaw takes a ride in the Wayback Machine and looks at the 1950 NCAA boxing title-winning squad.

EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, Montana has a history of football players with familial connections. … UC Davis doesn’t have a long history of games on ESPN2 but there is some. … Cal Poly will try to make history against Utah early in the season. … Sacramento State’s new coach sees the school on the cusp of history as well. … Idaho State has added an assistant to its men’s basketball staff.

Indians: We don’t have a link to a story on the S-R site, but there is coverage of Spokane’s 2-1 win in Vancouver in the e-edition.

Velocity: The road has been long for Spokane and Saturday it proved unproductive as well. The Velocity were shut out in Chattanooga, falling to the Red Wolves 3-0. John Allison has the story.

Mariners: The M’s began the unofficial second half five games behind the Astros in the American League West, with Houston in town for a three-game series. They have a chance today to end the weekend series only two games behind the Astros, after Saturday’s gutsy 7-6 extra-inning victory. … Seattle seems in need of middle relief help as the deadline looms. … Bryce Miller is throwing to hitters again. His return would be a welcome one. … Randy Arozarena has been mashing lately, which is certainly welcomed.

Golf: Not sure Scheffler is perfect for links golf but his game is good enough to win just about anywhere. … Jim Meehan was at Indian Canyon on Saturday and has coverage of the 38th annual Rosauers Open Invitational.

Sounders: There was good news for Seattle on Saturday. The Sounders pummeled San Jose a bit, winning 3-2 at Lumen Field. But there was also bad news and it involved Jordan Morris. Again. The veteran scorer had to leave the match early on after a collision. … Other Sounders never even had a chance of playing.

Storm: The WNBA held its all-star game Saturday. There were a lot of points scored. But what happened this weekend off the court will have more long-lasting consequences for the players and the league. … One Storm player did show out, however.

Seahawks: Training camp is about to open. In the spotlight? Sam Darnold. … All the draft picks will be signed and in attendance. The last inked his contract Saturday.

Golf: Not sure Scheffler is perfect for links golf but his game is good enough to win just about anywhere. … Jim Meehan was at Indian Canyon on Saturday and has coverage of the 38th annual Rosauers Open Invitational.

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• We’ll be here Monday morning, but not Tuesday. And we’re not sure about Wednesday. Travel does have its rewards. For you folks. Until later …