Graphic by Sean Rogers/The Olaf Messenger
Professional golfer Scottie Scheffler has dominated the golf world this past year drawing comparisons to the greats of golf like Tiger Woods. As of May 1, 2024 Scheffler has won four out of his last five tournaments. This includes winning The Masters, as well as other PGA tournaments.
Scheffler is one of many younger golfers in the last 10 years who have been compared to the greats like Woods and Palmer. Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, and Justin Thomas all have received the same honorable remarks throughout their career. The comparison to Woods is cool but Scheffler has a long way to go. For example, Scheffler has been ranked world number one for 80 weeks, which is quite the run. Woods’ second-longest streak at world number one was 264 consecutive weeks and his longest was 281 consecutive weeks. Scheffler therefore needs another 200 weeks in order to break the record.
The comparisons to the greats are actually perhaps not the most impressive thing about Scheffler, instead it is his distinct skills on the course. In February, Scheffler went viral for a video of him guessing the yardage of each shot. His largest miss was only off by three yards. This is quite unique to Scheffler, as that much club control is one of the most sought-after skills on the course.
Scheffler is also known for having a great putting game. He often gains a lot of ground in tournaments on the putting green and it has made the difference in some of his larger wins. This skill, if it can remain consistent, is one of the things Scheffler might be remembered for.
A great or not, Scheffler has brought a lot of fun to the game of golf. Viewers are tuning in to see his mastery of the game and his entertaining skills. Time will tell if Scheffler breaks Wood’s streak but either way he is carving out his own space in the golf world.
