Blake Davis
Few people understand the level Scottie Scheffler is playing at these days. With four wins in his last five starts, the term “Tiger-like” has been used to explain what Scheffler is doing on the PGA Tour now.
It’s not an unfair comparison, and Tiger Woods is in fact the only golfer who identifies with Scottie’s current pace of play.
According to Data Golf’s historical rankings, which use a formula that measures the last 150 rounds a golfer played, Woods and Scheffler have put together the hottest streaks in golf over the past 25 years.
Let’s take a look at the top 10.
|
tiger woods |
3.89 |
September 2000 |
|
Scottie Scheffler |
3.04 |
April 2024 |
|
Vijay Singh |
2.96 |
February 2004 |
|
David Duval |
2.88 |
April 1999 |
|
Ernie Els |
2.74 |
August 2004 |
|
Jon Rahm |
2.73 |
February 2023 |
|
Jordan Spieth |
2.67 |
August 2015 |
|
Jason’s Day |
2.62 |
September 2015 |
|
Rory McIlroy |
2.61 |
August 2023 |
|
Jim Furyk |
2.60 |
October 2006 |
Woods and Scheffler are the only two golfers to hit 3.0 strokes gained per round in the Data Golf Index. It’s an astonishing number that even the best players of the last 25 years have struggled to achieve over longer periods of time.
So when Woods talks about Scheffler, as he did Wednesday on “The Today Show,” it’s worth hearing his perspective.
“His iconic foot movement belies what the club is actually doing through the golf ball: how good it feels, how stable it is, how solid it hits,” Tiger explained. “You just stand back and watch the ball flight, there’s something different about him. He’s so consistent. He works both ways.”
Everyone gets nervous about Scheffler’s foot shuffle, but rarely discusses how he hits the ball exactly where he wants it almost every time he swings. This is remarkable, and is perhaps the most significant reason why he has won four of the five events and why he has been more than a stroke per round better than the second best player in the world until now in 2024 (Xander Schauffele).
“If he makes a decent shot, he’s going to win,” Woods said in reference to Scheffler being a starter in any tournament. “If he hits a good shot, he rocks the fairways. If he has a bad putting week, he says it. He’s a great striker.”
This is more or less the case. Scheffler has gained at least 0.80 strokes or better with his putter four times in fully measured 72-hole events this season. He won all four.
In his two positive placing weeks right behind those, he finished T3 and T2. In his three weeks of negative placing, he finished T5, T17 and T10.
Therefore, Woods’ analysis is correct. And what an advantage for Scheffler as he tries to advance to the next three major championships.
In some sportsbooks, Scheffler is currently 40-1 to win the Grand Slam, a feat not even Woods has been able to achieve. The closest Tiger came was in 2000, when he won three majors and finished in the top 10 at the Masters.
Of course, he won the Masters the following year to start the Tiger Slam, a feat in which he won all four major trophies. It is the Players Championship trophy at the same time.
Scheffler currently has two of those five with the PGA Championship just two weeks away.
