PGA Tour membership selected World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler as its Player of the Year, an award he will take home for the third consecutive season.
Tiger Woods is the only other player to win this award on three consecutive occasions. The 15-time major winner last did so in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Woods also won Player of the Year from 1999 to 2003, a five-year stretch in which he dominated the golfing world.
Scheffler has dominated the PGA Tour in recent years, too, which has led many to compare him to Woods for a myriad of reasons. His ball-striking, bogey avoidance, and ability to win tournaments in bunches explain why. But Scheffler’s clutch genes, as evidenced at both TPC Sawgrass and the Olympics in Paris, also support this claim.
Yet Scheffler does not want to compare himself to one of the all-time greats.
“There’s really only one Tiger,” Scheffler said on Tuesday.
“I’m trying to get the best out of myself, and that’s really all I’m focused on. I’m not chasing records or chasing history or anything like that; I’m just trying to day in and day out continue to improve a little bit. Just go out there and compete and have fun.”
Every week, Scheffler talks about how he ‘sticks to his process’ and ‘focuses on the present.’ He never looks ahead, nor does he dwell on the past. Instead, he is all about consistency. He practices hard but cares for his family and faith much more. He also does not use social media, an attribute that is rare but should be applauded.
This mentality and discipline helped Scheffler win nine events in 2024, including the Masters, the Players, and the Tour Championship—he was the first player to win all three of these tournaments in the same season.
Scheffler also won four Signature Events: the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the RBC Heritage, the Memorial, and the Travelers Championship. These tournaments were played on vastly different courses, proving that his game and mentality have no limits.
He took home the Gold Medal at the Olympics as well, shooting a final round 62 that ranks among the greatest rounds in golf history. Scheffler then capped off his historic season with a stress-free victory at the Hero World Challenge, in which he posted a 9-under 63 on Sunday to win by six over Tom Kim.
In all, Scheffler won over $60 million in official earnings and bonuses, an eye-popping amount of money that correlates with an eye-popping season.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
