It makes sense that Scheffler and Spieth would share vocabulary; they’ve known each other for years and are regular golfing partners. But it’s particularly interesting to hear Spieth echo Scheffler given something else Spieth said in the same press conference, when asked what it’s been like to watch the ascension of the World No. 1.

“It’s a very good question, because I have known Scottie since he was really, really young,” he said. “Not that I wasn’t, but he was really, really young.”

Spieth was effusive in his praise for Scheffler, saying that he’s a better person than player, calling his success well-deserved and expressing his excitement for him. But naturally it’s more complex than just excitement, too.

“On the flip side, like, it’s kind of the first time I’ve ever looked at somebody younger than me and it’s driven inspiration,” he said. “Like, I’m inspired by what he’s doing. It makes me want to go out and get better, and that’s always been someone that’s older than me. Kind of the first time I’ve felt that way about somebody that’s younger.”

That makes sense; for Spieth — who turned 30 last summer — there would have been Tiger Woods (who’s 48) to look up to or Phil Mickelson (53) and then perhaps the next generation of major champs like Rory McIlroy (34) and Brooks Koepka (33). But Scheffler doesn’t turn 28 until next month. It’s hard for Spieth not to make that comparison.

“Because I play a decent amount of rounds with him here in town, I’m constantly seeing it and trying to beat him at home, and when he’s playing better than I am, it sucks. I don’t enjoy it when I’m side by side because there were however many years of our life it wasn’t that way,” he said.

Still, that doesn’t mean Spieth has ceded the high ground for good.

“It’s flipped and I feel like I’ve got plenty of runway to be able to get it back. It’s inspiring at the same time to try make that happen. I have nothing in my way of being able to make that happen but my own self. I’ve got enough. I believe in my ceiling, and I believe my ceiling is as high as anybody’s.”

With Scheffler sidelined due to the imminent arrival of his first child, Spieth enters this week as the narrow betting favorite at 14-1 odds. That’s thanks to reputation and history as much as it is recent form; he’s missed three of his past five cuts and continues to manage a wrist injury. But as he stares down the rest of major championship season, Spieth hopes this week is the start of something special.

“I would love to win this event,” he said. “It would mean more to me than most events. I think that can be a good thing to think about it that way. I can get really fired up for it and it’s a good opportunity to, like I mentioned earlier, to reset the season, too.