Scheffler’s 'inevitable' domination and Christ's inevitable return

It may be a few weeks since The Open Championship, but one thing struck me during Scottie Scheffler’s victory procession, as one of the crown jewels of the British sporting summer came to an end.

Scheffler, who is well known for being a devoted Christian, stormed to victory at Royal Portrush, shooting 17 under par to finish four shots clear in what was a fairly uncompetitive affair by the final day, as every would-be challenger failed to keep up with his supreme consistency and deadly putting on the greens.

The champion golfer of the year has been relentless on the tour over the last few years and this, his fourth major, now leaves him only requiring a maiden US Open title to become just the seventh man to complete the career Grand Slam.

There was so much to like about the golf that the American father of one played. It was up with the best we have seen from him and secured his first Claret Jug, but it was the way his competitors spoke about him that really grabbed my attention.

What were Scheffler's competitors saying?

Following the tournament’s third round on the Saturday, those in the chasing pack appeared defeated, conceding that alongside needing their best rounds possible to have a chance of reeling Scheffler in, they also depended on him stumbling as he moved towards the finishing line, which he never seems to do.

The word "inevitable" kept being used by competitors to describe Scheffler’s surge from the pack to the top of the leaderboard and his control of the tournament over the Friday and Saturday, with the rest fully aware of how the final day was likely to unfold.

Speaking about his chances of victory, home favourite Rory McIlroy said after his third round: “Yeah, look, Scottie Scheffler is… it’s inevitable. Even when he doesn’t have his best stuff. He’s improved so much with his putter. Yeah, it’s going to be tough to catch him tomorrow if he keeps playing the way he does. But if I can get out tomorrow and get off to a similar start to what I did today, get the crowd going, hopefully he tails out a couple groups behind me, and you never know.”

Others expressed similar thoughts. Eventual second-placed Harris English described Scheffler’s golf as “unbelievable” and “incredible”, while the chasing Matt Fitzpatrick said after round three: “Let’s be realistic, he’s five ahead. It’s not easy. But if you get off to a good start, then obviously put a bit of pressure on early doors and hope for the best really.”

It is hard not to agree with the sentiments of Scheffler’s competitors, who seem to be at a loss when it comes to what makes him so good, to the point that comparisons with Tiger Woods have begun to increase in noise.

He has now won 10 events in a row when he has held the 54-hole lead and has won all three majors in which he has led going into the final round. He is further ahead of the world’s second-best player statistically than number two is ahead of players ranked in the mid-teens, as Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre pointed out. Quite simply, he is in a league of his own.

Are we ready?

However, we know that even in sport, nothing is truly inevitable. That is, except death or Christ’s return and the ensuing judgement. While Scottie Scheffler leaves his competitors with a sense of foreboding about what they all fear is coming, it is crucial, spiritually, that we ensure we are ready for the last day when it comes.

While the likes of golf is constrained to moments in the calendar and a certain number of holes, we do not know the day or the hour, or in golfing terms, when we will reach our 72^nd hole. We must be ready to give the Lord an account for all that we have done over the course of our lives.

Let's be watchful and ensure that we are as ready as we can be for when the only moment which is truly inevitable arrives. Unlike at Royal Portrush, everything depends upon it.