Scottie Scheffler had already cemented his place amongst golf’s all-time greats, however his commanding four-shot victory on the British Open reignited comparisons to Tiger Woods.
Sunday’s closing spherical of the British Open at Royal Portrush was one of many extra anticlimactic finishes to a significant in current reminiscence and left many on the earth of golf questioning if Scheffler was the inheritor to Woods’ throne.
“I look everywhere and I try to find some kind of a weakness, somewhere where he can get derailed, and I just can’t find it,” NBC Sports analyst and former Ryder Cup-winning captain Paul McGinley stated. “He might even prove to have more longevity than Tiger Woods.”
Making comparisons to 15-times main champion Woods could also be untimely however world primary Scheffler, a four-time main winner, is enjoying in a league of his personal and displaying no indicators of slowing down.
“I don’t think we thought the golfing world would see someone as dominant as Tiger come through so soon, and here’s Scottie sort of taking that throne of dominance,” stated 2024 British Open champion Xander Schauffele.
“You can’t even say he’s on a run. He’s just been killing it for over two years now. He’s a tough man to beat, and when you see his name up on the leaderboard, it sucks for us.”
Scheffler gained the Masters in 2022 and 2024, earned his first PGA Championship title this 12 months adopted by his fourth profession main along with his British Open triumph.
The 29-year-old Texan joined Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player as the one gamers to win a Masters, PGA Championship and British Open earlier than age 30.
“What he’s doing is so dominant and so clinical,” stated NBC Sports analyst Brandel Chamblee. “I can’t help but think that we are on an inevitable march towards one of the greatest careers in the history of golf.”
Scheffler’s 149-week run because the primary ranked golfer on the earth can also be the longest since Woods occupied the highest spot for a report 281 weeks from 2005 to 2010.
“In a historical context, you could argue that there’s only maybe two or three players in the history of the game that have been on a run, the one that Scottie’s been on here for the last 24 to 36 months. Incredibly impressive,” stated world quantity two Rory McIlroy.
Scheffler, who will undoubtedly be favoured wherever he tees it up for the foreseeable future, will get an opportunity to turn into solely the seventh participant to full the profession Grand Slam of golf’s 4 majors at subsequent June’s U.S. Open.
But regardless of a capability to make a sophisticated sport appear easy at occasions and depart fellow rivals in awe, Scheffler just isn’t prepared to entertain speak about comparisons to Woods.
“Tiger won, what, 15 majors? This is my fourth,” Scheffler stated after profitable the Claret Jug. “I just got one-fourth of the way there. I think Tiger stands alone in the game of golf.
“He was inspirational for me rising up. He was a really, very proficient man, and he was a particular individual to have the option to be nearly as good as he was on the sport of golf.”
