Tiger Woods comparisons 'inevitable' for Scottie Scheffler after Players Championship win

As soon as Scottie Scheffler won the Players Championship at Sawgrass, he reacted with a knowledgeable grin when someone compared him to Tiger Woods, which was bound to happen.

This golfer is in a position of great power, as he defended his championship title in the PGA Tour. People are even comparing him to a legendary golfer who has won 15 major championships.

Scheffler reflected on Woods' recent participation in the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, which took place last month.

"I find that to be a humorous question," he grinned.

I don't recall the precise figures, but we were playing golf at 'Riv' this year when I made my tee shot and a fellow player exclaimed, "Well done for being the top Scottie. You have another decade and one more year to repeat this achievement."

Naturally, the supporter's assertion was correct. Scheffler is nowhere near matching the extent of Woods' career domination during his prime. However, at present, it could be debated that the two athletes deserve to be mentioned in the same conversation.

It's a tremendous honor to be mentioned alongside Tiger, but let's be real, he's in a league of his own when it comes to golf. That's just the way it is, according to Scheffler.

I've won eight tournaments so far, which means I've now won the same amount as him in the Players Championships. However, I still have a long way to go if I want to catch up to him in terms of major wins and PGA Tour events - with 14 more majors and around 70 PGA Tour events left to win."

"I plan on sticking to my established schedule and proceeding steadily, attempting to maintain a stable demeanor."

Having said that, we can't ignore the standard of Scheffler's performance currently.

He won another major championship last Sunday in Florida, marking his second victory in a row in the state. The last individual to achieve this impressive feat in Florida was Woods back in 2001.

Scheffler triumphed in an impressive manner by completing the last round without making any bogeys, scoring a total of 64. He successfully held off competitors Brian Harman and Wyndham Clark, both of whom have won major tournaments in the past.

Xander Schauffele, the victorious athlete who clinched the Olympic gold medal, also shared second place with only one shot behind. The PGA Tour, which was facing difficulties, was fortunate to have a prominent and impressive lineup of competitors who demonstrated their optimal skills and abilities at its prime championship. This was definitely a positive development for the tour.

Scheffler managed to secure a victory by a very small margin, but it showcased his exceptional skill in dominating various aspects of the game, which is typical of the way the tall American plays as a champion.

During this period, he has achieved the highest rankings on the PGA Tour in terms of scoring average, birdie average, strokes gained, greens in regulation, and approach shots to the putting surfaces.

It's not necessary for him to make the lights go out to emerge victorious. And when he performs like he did at Bay Hill the previous week, he always ends up winning by a considerable margin. At the Arnold Palmer Invitational, he won by a whopping five shots.

In terms of strokes gained on the greens, he achieved a respectable 37th place at Sawgrass. His efforts to improve his putting technique with renowned coach Phil Kenyon and utilizing a putter of the mallet-style variety have proven to be successful.

However, what really distinguishes him is everything else he does on the course. In the previous week, he excelled in several areas including strokes gained off the tee, tee to green, and driving accuracy. His impressive ball striking is both trustworthy and forceful, making it seem as though the ball is on a predetermined path.

According to statistics, he ranked among the top 10 players when it comes to shots made around the green and from bunkers, although he doesn't need to rely on those skills too often. As for hitting greens in regulation, he tied for third place in the putting statistics.

An impressive set of skills is coupled with exceptional mentality. During the second round of the Players, a bothersome neck issue arose, but rather than weakening his resolve, it only made him more dedicated to being the first to successfully defend the championship.

He shared that when he received medical assistance during his game on Friday, he had a feeling that he could still come out victorious. That's mainly why he continued playing and didn't want to waste the chance.

However, he had to recover a deficit of five shots during the last round, a feat that has only been accomplished by two individuals, Justin Leonard and Henrik Stenson, in the history of the Players tournament held at Sawgrass.

This is where his composed demeanor became evident. Scheffler has the fortunate ability to maintain a clear understanding of situations along with an intense desire to succeed.

His rivals should still be afraid of him as the golf season approaches the major tournaments, beginning with the Masters in April, because he remains composed and doesn't let his emotions control him.

He stated that he avoids focusing excessively on outcomes, regardless of whether they are positive or negative. Instead, he plans to concentrate only on his upcoming PGA Tour event in Texas at the end of the month.

"I believe there are a few good aspects to be taken from the progress made, however, my plan is to head back home and rest while also continuing my preparations for Houston."

There was a person who used to wear the same clothes as Woods because they were a big fan. However, they have now been generously compensated to do so.

He's beginning to compare to the 82-time PGA Tour champion by occupying the top spot in the world rankings.

It's true that the rankings are a bit unfair to LIV events since they don't get points, but the difference between Scheffler and the second-ranked golfer Rory McIlroy [who has an average of 4.4 points] is bigger than the gap between McIlroy and Collin Morikawa, who is at the 18th position in the rankings.

The position is very dominant. Nonetheless, at one point, Woods' advantage over Phil Mickelson was bigger than the margin between the second-ranked player and any other competitor in the rankings.

Let's try not to get overly excited. As Scheffler mentioned, "we all admire Tiger. He's always been one of us. Witnessing his astonishing performances during significant moments throughout the years is mind-blowing."

We cannot be certain, but we can acknowledge that Scheffler's performances at Sawgrass in the last two competitions, as well as his current general statistics, are exceptional.