Discovering The Victorious Mindset of Champions at The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am 2025 – Inspirations and Celebrations

As the saying goes, “Legends are Made, Not Born”. In the case of the illustrious AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Golf Tournament, it’s easy to see why that statement reverberates deeper than anything else.

From mastering the perfect swing to finding the courage to go for the gold and developing the will to win, over the past week, I’ve had an opportunity to get up close with many of the world’s most renowned professional golfers – from Scottie Scheffler, and Justin Thomas to Sam Burns, Rickie Fowler, and more.

As highlighted in my AT&T Pro-Am article last year (which shares my inspiring interviews with Rory McIlroy and NFL Champion Aaron Rodgers about mindset, visualization, and focusing skills), it’s interesting to discover what sets champions apart from everyone else.

Rory McIlroy’s Shares Advice on How to Stay Focused Under Pressure

In speaking with Rory Mcilroy (Winner of the 2025 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am tournament), he shared his insights on the ability to stay calm and focused, especially when he’s under immense stress. Here’s a snippet of what we discussed:

CLP: Since the tournament is obviously a high-stakes game and you always have to be performing under pressure, how do you prepare mentally before you go into any tournament?

RM: “I think the one thing that helps me is, um, basically focusing on controlling what I can control. I think in golf there are so many different variables, whether it be different golf courses, different conditions, or playing against different competitors. The nice thing about our sport is you can just focus on yourself and control what you can control. To me that’s always been a, it’s been the best mindset and the best strategy to adopt, but also there’s a level of comfort in there that if, if you can concentrate and focus on just what you’re doing and nothing else, then usually everything sort of takes care of itself after that.”

CLP: I grew up in Pebble Beach, so of course I had to learn golf. In golf, I call it the ‘zen zone’ – when you’re really in that focused state. How do you stay focused when there are people around, there’s pressure, and even the media? How do you get yourself into that balanced mental state when you have all this pressure on you?

RM: “Sometimes I sort of call the five Rs that we spend on the golf course inside the ropes. It’s like my getaway time because, all those external factors like you talk about, whether it’s the media or whatever, pressure from others, I feel like none of that can get to me once I’m on the golf course and I’m inside the ropes. So again, it’s like a certain level of comfort. But then also the one thing that you need to do in golf, maybe compared to other sports, is – because we’re out here for a long time, you need the ability to be able to switch on and off or in and out of that mental state. So yeah, for the minute or so that I’m approaching a golf shot and I’m hitting a golf shot, yes, I’m in that zone, but I think it’s really important to be able to snap out of it as well because trying to concentrate for five hours consecutively is very fatiguing. I think it’s not the best strategy to adopt.”

The truth is that all these world-renowned professional players are great at golf, but only one can win a tournament. So, if we dive deeper into the mysterious minds of these legendary sports stars, we get a chance to learn what makes them outstanding, and it all starts from within. Between the practice rounds to the live tournament, over the past week, I witnessed these peak-performance athletes in action. Here’s what I discovered…

There was an electric energy in the air this past week in Pebble Beach – a sort of palpable tension and anxiety that cursed through everyone’s veins. It felt like the calm before the storm, and on many levels, it was just that. With forecasts of blustery weather on the horizon and a sizable purse up for the win, the pressure to excel was imminent.

Since the PGA Tour changed the format of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Golf Tournament last year (to exclude celebrities) and to up the ante by offering a $20M purse this year, the determination to win was on everyone’s minds.

Walking alongside the players during practice rounds felt like I was on a wild safari, venturing into unknown territory while capturing images of the apex predators on the hunt for their trophy. As an observational learner, I’ve always been intrigued by studying people who excel in different facets of life, so the tournament is another opportunity to evaluate each player’s performance, not just from the perspective of their swing, as that’s just the result of rigorous training, but rather, from a deeper level – their energy, their attitude, and even their sense of self.

The ability to stay calm, visualize success, and trust in one’s preparation isn’t just a skill—it’s a psychological advantage. In a sport where precision rules, it’s clear that the key to being at the top isn’t just about perfect swings but about mastering the mind that controls them.

As a perfect example, if you’ve ever watched Scottie Scheffler (currently ranked as the World’s # 1 PGA Golfer), you’ll notice his calm, grounded, and self-confident demeanor. The way he walks, his facial expressions, and even his personality – they all denote one thing, self-assuredness. It’s like he’s mastered the art of feeling comfortable in his skin, and when it comes to sports – that’s half the battle of becoming a winner. Not to mention, this type of persona can help intimidate the competition, which is a psychological advantage.

That’s not all, when I analyzed his practice swings, I noticed him tap into the power of visualization. It was like he was imagining not only exactly where he wanted the ball to land, but more importantly, he was tapping into the feeling. The reason why I bring this up is because it’s one of the fundamental aspects of sports psychology, which is inherently designed to help you transcend limitations and achieve success.

As I’ve learned (through a Psychology professor who trained Olympic athletes), the subconscious mind doesn’t know the difference between imagination and reality. Therefore, to properly hardwire your neural network (which essentially is how the mind works), you have to create a visceral experience by imagining the outcome you desire and making it feel as real as possible.

In addition to mastering your mind (which includes quieting the “noise”, reaffirming positive mantras that empower and encourage you, and clearing out any “clutter” that distracts you), one of the keys to becoming a champion (both on the course and off) is to harness the power of visualization techniques. The more effectively you do all of this, the more incredible the results.

Bottom line – when you feel capable, centered, and powerful, your body has no choice but to follow your mind. By learning how to bolster your internal confidence (through a positive internal monologue), calm your nervous system (breathwork helps greatly), and trust your body’s ability to do what it’s been trained to do (like turning on autopilot), you can achieve great things more easily.

Scottie Schiffler Shares His Psychological Strategies for Victorious Wins

During a press conference at The Lodge at Pebble Beach, Scottie Scheffler was asked: “How do you reflect on last season?”. In response, he remarked, “I go back and watch the tournaments that I played in. I wasn’t necessarily watching the finishes, but I was just kind of watching throughout the event – just thinking about what I was feeling at the time and how my brain was working.”

He was also asked, “How do you manage expectations?”, to which he exclaimed, “I try to focus as much as I can on the internal stuff. You’re going to make mistakes throughout the round, but it’s more about my attitude and how I would approach things. It’s not necessarily about birdies and bogeys, it’s more about my approach than anything.”

Tips for Building a Champion’s Mindset

Scottie’s success, as just one example, highlights several key takeaways that can benefit golfers at any level:

1. Master Visualization: Take time before every shot to mentally rehearse where you want the ball to land, imagining the perfect trajectory, speed, and outcome.
2. Trust Your Body: Once you’ve visualized success, trust that your body knows what to do. Overthinking creates tension (which inadvertently leads to self-sabotage), whereas confidence releases tension.
3. Relaxation Techniques: Incorporate breathing exercises or mindfulness practices to stay calm, even under pressure. This is imperative, especially when inclement weather, the heightened pressure of a globally televised event, and the sound of cheering fans can all distract you.
4. Reduce Stress: In high-stakes situations (like a golf tournament), stress levels are elevated. The problem is that stress inherently activates the brain’s amygdala (as explained in this Harvard Health article), which correlates to our body’s instinctual fight-or-flight response. When the amygdala is triggered, it can override the prefrontal cortex (the brain’s decision-making and focus center), causing indecision, mechanical errors, and poor shot execution.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years (having interviewed countless industry leaders, notable athletes, and renowned people) it’s that they all have one thing in common: They’ve developed the mindset of a victorious champion. To leave you with a final word of wisdom, as my favorite quote goes, “If you want to stand out, don’t be different; be outstanding.”

For more inspiring ideas and advice from leading experts (including notable psychologists and renowned motivational coaches) to help you elevate your life, excel in your career, and become a champion, check out the Personal Growth section on Inspirations & Celebrations.