Scottie Scheffler earned another comparison with Tiger Woods on Monday, joining him as the only players to win PGA Tour player of the year at least four times in a row.
The award, named for Jack Nicklaus, was awarded to Scheffler after a season that saw him capture six victories, twice as many as any other player on the tour, including the PGA Championship and the British Open.
Scheffler’s performance also brought him close to a career Grand Slam, as his two major wins positioned him within striking distance of the elusive sweep of all four majors.
He became the first player since Woods in 2000 to lead the PGA Tour with the lowest scoring average in each of the four rounds and finished the season with 15 consecutive tournaments in the top 10.
“I think overall the thing that I’m most proud of when I look at the last couple years is just consistency,” Scheffler said on a conference call. “It’s not very easy to just show up and finish in the top 10 each week. I think that’s something that’s very difficult to do and something I’m very proud of, bringing the intensity that I need to in these tournaments and being prepared as I need to in order to perform well week in and week out.”
Scheffler was on the ballot with Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Ben Griffin. The award is a vote of the players, though the PGA Tour did not release what percentage of the votes Scheffler received or how many players voted.
Woods is an 11‑time winner of the award and won five straight times from 1999 through 2003. McIlroy had a big year in his own right, nothing grander than his playoff victory in the Masters for the final leg of the career Grand Slam and a green jacket he had been pursuing for 15 years. He also added titles at Pebble Beach and The Players Championship.
Scheffler, however, has been putting on a master class of consistency since breaking through with his first PGA Tour title in 2022. Along with 19 victories in his last 80 events on the PGA Tour — that doesn’t include his Olympic gold medal last year in Paris — Scheffler has finished among the top three in just over 46% of his PGA Tour starts.
This season alone, Scheffler led the PGA Tour in 17 statistical categories, ranging from his accuracy from tee‑to‑green, how often he followed a bogey with a birdie or better (36%) and official earnings, which this year topped $27 million.
And he effectively gave McIlroy and everyone else a head start. Scheffler sliced his right hand during Christmas last year while using a wine glass to cut ravioli. He missed nearly two months and didn’t really find his groove until a week before the Masters when he was runner‑up in Houston.
That began an astonishing stretch in which Scheffler didn’t finish worse than a tie for eighth the rest of the year. He played his final six PGA Tour events without a round over par, and he had a stretch of 21 consecutive rounds in the 60s.
He also won his hometown CJ Cup Byron Nelson in the Dallas area by matching the PGA Tour record for 72 holes at 253, an eight‑shot victory.
“Yeah, I definitely didn’t start off the way I intended to start off,” Scheffler said. “I missed the first couple weeks of the season but did a good job of bouncing back from that. I started to play some pretty good golf in May.”
Neither of his two major titles was particularly close. He won the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow by five shots and the British Open at Royal Portrush by four shots. In all four of his majors — he also won the Masters in 2022 and 2024 — he has had at least a four‑shot lead going to the final hole. Missing is a tense finish to a major.
“I’m not really picky. If I’m holding the trophy at the end, it doesn’t really matter,” Scheffler said with a laugh.
Aldrich Potgieter was voted PGA Tour rookie of the year. He was among five rookies who won this year, but the South African was the only player to win a tournament that offered full FedEx Cup points and qualify for the postseason.
Key Takeaways
- Scheffler’s fourth straight Player of the Year award ties him with Tiger Woods.
- He has captured six tour victories, including the PGA Championship and British Open, and is close to a career Grand Slam.
- The season was marked by record consistency, leading 17 statistical categories and earning over $27 million.
The season’s narrative, from a hand injury to a record‑breaking run of top‑10 finishes, underscores why Scheffler’s performance earned him the Jack Nicklaus Award and cements his place among golf’s elite.
Morgan J. Carter is a Texas-based journalist covering breaking news, local government, public safety, and community developments across Austin. With more than six years of reporting experience, Morgan focuses on delivering accurate, clear, and timely stories that reflect the fast-moving pulse of the city.
At newsofaustin.com, Morgan reports on everything from severe weather alerts and traffic updates to city council decisions, crime reports, and the issues shaping daily life in Austin. Known for reliable fact-checking and a strong commitment to public-interest journalism, Morgan brings readers the information they need to stay informed and engaged.
When not tracking a developing story, Morgan enjoys exploring Austin’s neighborhoods, attending local events, and connecting with residents to share the voices and experiences that define the community.
