With His British Open Victory, Scottie Scheffler Raises the Bar
Scheffler now has 17 PGA Tour victories, accomplished in less than three-and-a-half years. It’s as many two-time U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange produced in a World Golf Hall of Fame career. It’s the same number as Jim Furyk. It’s one behind Julius Boros and Nick Price and just two behind Ernie Els, Ben Crenshaw, Hubert Green and Tom Kite.
He’s already surpassed Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, two players that offer a cautionary tale that nothing is guaranteed.
Ten years ago, when Spieth won the Masters and the U.S. Open, missed a playoff by a stroke at the Open and finished second at the PGA Championship, he seemed destined to win 25 or more PGA Tour events. But he’s added just two titles since his 2017 Open victory and is stuck on 13. Thomas, after getting to 15 wins in 2022, only this year added the 16th win.
It’s increasingly more difficult to maintain success. Rory McIlroy,
who captured the Masters earlier this year for his 29th PGA Tour victory, might be among the few players to ever get to 30 PGA Tour wins again.
It puts in perspective what Woods (82 wins) and Phil Mickelson (45) have accomplished.