Tiger Woods comparisons ‘inevitable’ for Scottie Scheffler after Players Championship win
Tiger Woods says comparisons to Scottie Scheffler are ‘inevitable’ after winning Players Championship
Scottie Scheffler smiled knowingly when the inevitable Tiger Woods comparisons were made immediately after his historic win at The Players Championship at Sawgrass.
His current dominance is such that some are beginning to equate him with the 15-time major champion. Scheffler’s thoughts turned to Woods’ Genesis Invitational at Riviera last month.
“I think that’s an interesting question,” he smiled. “I don’t remember the exact numbers, but when I was playing with Riva this year, I hit the ball and the guy yelled, ‘Congratulations, Scotty, you’re No. 1.’ 11 more years. There are still 11 years left. ”
And of course, the fans were right. Scheffler doesn’t match the sustained dominance that Woods achieved in his prime. But right now, there is a debate going on about mentioning both players at the same time.
“Anytime you get compared to Tiger, it’s really special, but what I’m saying is this guy stands out in our game. He really means it,” Scheffler added.
“This is my eighth win in the tournament and is tied for the Players Championship. On top of that, he still has 14 majors and about 70 PGA Tour events to catch up on.
“So I’m just going to stick to my routine, keep planning and try to stay as balanced as possible.”
At the same time, the level of play that Scheffler is currently reaching cannot be ignored. Sunday’s win was Florida’s second major title in as many weeks. The last person from the Sunshine State to win this double title was Woods in 2001. And Scheffler did just that, finishing the final round with a bogey-free 64 and fending off two reigning major champions, Brian Harman and Windham Clark.
Olympic champion Xander Schauffele also tied for second place, one stroke behind. It was a welcome star-studded ranking, and just what the beleaguered PGA Tour needed to showcase its best talent in its flagship championship.
It was a close victory for Scheffler, but it was a championship-worthy result that shows how much control the big American has over many aspects of the game. This season, he leads the PGA Tour in scoring average, birdies average, strokes gained, greens in regulation and approach shots on the putting surface.
He doesn’t have to turn off the lights to win. If he does, he’ll likely get a big win like he did the week before at Bay Hill. Five shots were the key to victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. At Sawgrass, he was 37th in shots to the green, which was a respectable performance. Indeed, his efforts with English coach Phil Kenyon and his move to the Hammers are bearing positive fruit. But it’s the rest of the game that sets him apart. Last week he was No. 1 in tee shot, tee shot and drive accuracy. He has the ball on a string so he is very reliable and
- hits a powerful ball shot.
