Scottie Scheffler tipped for career switch and to go pro in new sport

Scottie Scheffler has expressed his love for pickleball, with one former pro suggesting he could even make the leap to play professionally in the sport. The 28-year-old golfing sensation, who currently dominates the with a staggering 757.25147 points - well ahead of his nearest rival Xander Schauffele - is not just a force on the green. With two titles under his belt from 2022 and 2024 and an impressive tally of 13 wins, Scheffler's prowess is undisputed.

Yet, it's not all about golf for the Texas-born athlete. In a candid chat with Golf's Subpar YouTube channel, Scheffler shared that he enjoys hitting the pickleball courts during his downtime.

Although the recent arrival of his son Bennett in May has meant less time for hobbies, Scheffler revealed: "In the last week and a half I've actually played pickleball twice. I think those are the second and third times I've played since Bennett was born, so I've definitely slowed down quite a bit. The last off-season looked a bit different, but I still get out there and play a little bit."

Despite making his mark in golf, Scheffler hasn't shied away from the pickleball scene, reportedly participating in celebrity tournaments. Smylie Kaufman, a former professional golfer, even went as far as to suggest that Scheffler has the chops to go pro in pickleball after witnessing his skills on the court alongside fellow golfer Sam Burns, reports .

On his Smylie Show podcast, Kaufman said: "We had golf carts on the court lighting up the court, it's late. And so we get to playing pickleball and I have a good serve, that was something that I was able to hang onto for a little bit, and then I really started to struggle getting returns back.

"It was just mainly because the ball was moving so much, I started to realise that Scottie may be the best pickleball player on tour, and potentially good enough to turn pro. I don't say that lightly because he's the best pickleball player I've ever played against."

Pickleball, for those not in the know, is a bat-and-ball game that's enjoyed on a stunted tennis-type court, akin to badminton dimensions, which is increasingly luring A-listers such as Ellen DeGeneres, swimming icon Michael Phelps, comedic actor Will Ferrell, pop sensation Billie Eilish, and even the illustrious Leonardo DiCaprio.

But it seems unlikely we'll see Scheffler abandon the lush grass of the golf world for pickleball glory anytime soon. The golfer has been in seamless form, securing victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in May, and continuing his streak by clinching The Players Championship the following week.

Further cementing his prowess, Scheffler seized the Masters title in April with a four-stroke lead over Ludvig Aberg, swiftly snagging the RBC Heritage soon thereafter. His triumphs in the 2024 season also stretch to taking home The Memorial, The Travelers Championship, and the TOUR Championship, piling up his earnings to an astounding £47.5 million this year alone.