Relentless’ Scheffler evoking memories of Tiger in his pomp

“It seems like every time he shows up, he is the guy to beat, and deservedly so. Undoubtedly the best player in the world at the minute by a long way. It’s up to us to try to get to his level.”

Scottie Scheffler lines up a putt on the eighth hole during a practice round for the U.S. Open at Pinehurst. Picture: AP Photo/Mike Stewart

Once upon a time in the late 1990s and early noughties, there was something called “Tigermania” which gave way to a secondary affliction suffered by “peers” known as Tiger Woods Fatigue Syndrome. TWFS manifested itself in incessant weekly questions about the player who kept beating you on tour every single week.

Now a new strain of mania has broken out with Scottie Scheffler dominating the PGA Tour and the big events like nobody since prime Woods. As yet the secondary fatigue syndrome hasn’t set in, but all the symptoms are spreading as Scheffler maintains a run of form that leaves peers marveling.

What makes Scheffler – who won the fifth time this season last week at the Memorial – so damn tough to beat?

“The fact that the only thing that took him from winning a golf tournament was going into a jail cell for an hour,” said Rory McIlroy of the man who still beat him last month in the PGA Championship at Valhalla despite getting arrested en route to his second round tee time. (Charges have since been dropped.)

“I think just the relentlessness,” McIlroy added more seriously. “Look, a lot of stuff went on in his life, as well. They’ve just had a new child. He’s been through some struggles in his game, particularly the putter that he’s been able to turn around, as well. It’s not as if he hasn’t had his challenges along the way, or circumstances have been a little bit different for him. But yeah, I mean, the word that I describe it as is ‘relentless.’

“It seems like every time he shows up, he is the guy to beat, and deservedly so. Undoubtedly the best player in the world at the minute by a long way. It’s up to us to try to get to his level.”

Scheffler comes into the U.S. Open on a heater – going 1, 1, T2, 1, 1, T8, T2 and 1 in his last eight starts. Only nine players have finished ahead of him anywhere in eight starts since March. He’s the overwhelming favorite to win his first U.S. Open provided he doesn’t encounter some eager police officer at the roundabout in front of the Pinehurst No. 2 entrance.

“It’s quite incredible to see what he’s been able to accomplish,” said Jon Rahm, who had his No. 1 world ranking snatched away from him by Scheffler last spring. “Every so many years, there’s been great ball strikers that come up. But when you start getting compared to Tiger and things that Tiger has done, that’s when you know you are in a level that is quite special.

“To win five times in a season… and winning the tournaments he’s winning – Bay Hill, Players, Masters, RBC (Heritage) and then Memorial – you’re basically replicating a Tiger Woods season. It’s fantastic to see. He’s been playing fantastic golf and doing what he needs to do.”

Said Séamus Power: “I feel like he’s almost not getting the credit guys might have in the past like Tiger Woods. When Tiger got on runs like this it was like the world was ending. Yeah, it is amazing – five wins and two seconds and an eighth. But even all along I think his worst finish is 17th actually in Palm Springs. I mean, it’s just remarkable. … You see the stats he’s putting up and it’s amazing. Every type of course, too, and all sorts of different grasses. It’s impressive.

“I mean, last year we saw the ball striking was off the charts and it was just getting his putter starting. Thanks to Rory for putting him into the mallet putter. Thanks for that Rory.”

Scottie Scheffler pumps his fist after sinking a putt on the 18th green to win the Memorial golf tournament, Sunday, June 9, 2024, in Dublin, Ohio. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Scheffler’s superpower is being consistently good at everything – a feature every golfer strives for and few ever achieve. For a spell, his only Kryptonite was putting, but he raised that to a level of acceptability that let his superiority in everything else stand out.

“I haven’t been following the stats, but it just doesn’t seem like anything is wrong,” said Rahm. “Based on what he’s been doing the last few years, if he could just stay around even on strokes gained putting, he could have a season like this. When you’ve top five in pretty much every category, tee to green, if you just putt average, you’re going to beat everybody.

“