Scottie Scheffler clinched his fourth major championship on Sunday, romping to victory at The Open Championship, and comparisons to Tiger Woods are getting louder and louder
Scottie Scheffler has what it takes to surpass Tiger Woods after the world No. 1 secured his fourth major championship in just three years, according to Paul McGinley.
was gushing in his praise for Scheffler after the Texan cruised to victory in The Open Championship on Sunday, outclassing the field at Royal Portrush to win by four shots.
Scheffler was understated in his celebrations. Big-time victories have become so common for the 29-year-old that he takes every moment after sealing a win in his stride. As usual, this one was marked on the 18th green by a warm embrace from his wife, Meredith, and son, Bennett.
prize in the past two months after lifting the Wannamaker Trophy at the PGA Championship in May, adding to his 2022 and 2024 Masters triumphs. Inevitably, comparisons to 15-time major champion Woods are growing.
Golf Channel pundit McGinley, who boasts a Ryder Cup match victory over Woods in 2006 on his resume, believes Scheffler’s settled family life and steady lifestyle could give him the longevity required to surpass Woods’ haul of major wins. By comparison, Woods’ personal life in his prime was chaotic,and that undoubtedly impacted his ability to prioritize golf.
“I have not seen a competitor anywhere close to Tiger Woods as good as this guy,” McGinley said. “That’s how high the bar is. And I think as time goes on, he might even prove to be a better one, he might even prove to have more longevity than Tiger Woods at the top.
“And it looks like he’s got that fine balance between golf being really important and loving it and loving to compete, but also that it’s not the most important thing in his life. That is the sweet spot there.”
The comparisons between Woods and Scheffler were put to the new Champion Golfer of the Year in his press conference on Sunday, and he was not entertaining the debate.
“I still think they’re a bit silly,” Scheffler said. “Tiger won, what, 15 majors? This is my fourth. I just got one-fourth of the way there. I think Tiger stands alone in the game of golf. He was inspirational for me growing up. He was a very, very talented guy, and he was a special person to be able to be as good as he was at the game of golf.
“I don’t focus on that kind of stuff. That’s not what motivates me. I’m not motivated by winning championships. I don’t look at the beginning of the year and just say, hey, I want to win X amount of tournaments, I want to win whatever it is. I don’t do that.
“I have dreams and aspirations that I think about, but at the end of the day, when I wake up to practise, I feel like what motivates me is just getting out and getting to live out my dream. I get to play professional golf, and I feel like I’m called to do it to the best of my ability.
“When I wake up in the morning, I try and put max effort in each day I get to go out and practise. When I’m working out, when I’m doing the cold tub, doing recovery, I feel like I’m just called to do it to the best of my ability.
“Outside of that, I don’t place much emphasis on winning tournaments. I don’t place much emphasis on things that I can accomplish. It’s just mostly about putting in the proper work and coming out here and competing.”
