Two words quickly come to mind when assessing Scottie Scheffler’s pro golf season in 2024—total domination.
In a world where the depth of talented players has risen dramatically since 2000—the wherewithal to separate oneself from all others is no small feat.
For the third consecutive year, Scheffler was named the recipient of the Jack Nicklaus Player-of-the-Year by his peers. Only Tiger Woods can match that achievement, although Scheffler has some distance to go in catching the 15-time major winner’s total of 11 such honors.
Only PGA Tour members who played in at least 15 events were eligible to vote. The voting period ran from Nov. 24 through Dec. 4, and Scheffler received 91 percent of that vote.
His seven official PGA Tour wins in 2024, and nine worldwide are the most on tour since Woods in 2007.
Scheffler, Woods, and Vijay Singh are the only golfers to win seven or more times in a season in the modern era. The Texan has spent the last 82 weeks atop the Official World Golf Ranking, a lead big enough to carry him through much of 2025, regardless of his play.
The 28-year-old capped off his remarkable season with a tour de force final round 63 last week in defending his title at the Hero World Challenge event in the Bahamas. The round was blemish-free—something Scheffler did at other notable wins in 2024 at The Players and in securing a gold medal at the Paris Summer Olympics.
How prophetic for golf’s best player now in receiving the Hero World Championship trophy from Woods—a 15-time major winner and world record holder for the most total weeks atop the pro golf rankings at 683. Scheffler is now at 117 and counting.
Scheffler became the first to win The Players Championship, Masters, and Tour Championship in the same season. His four other wins were all against the world’s best players in Signature events—the Arnold Palmer Invitational, RBC Heritage, Memorial Tournament, and the Travelers Championship.
Statistically, he was the leader in Tour wins top 10s. For the second consecutive season, he received the Byron Nelson Award for recording the lowest scoring average on tour—68.65. He also led in par-4 scoring average, par-5 scoring average, birdie average, strokes gained: Total. SG Tee-to-green and SG: Approach.
In all, Scheffler had 21 tournament starts and nine wins. Players in Major League Baseball would relish a .429 batting average.
Scheffler’s season points total for the world rankings was the fourth highest since statistics have been kept—only exceeded by the best of Wood’s years in 2000, 2005, and 2006. Having one’s name mentioned alongside Woods is clearly a differentiator to his credit.
The financial haul for Scheffler also set records with nearly $30 million earned. In addition, Scheffler also secured bonus payments for his win at The Tour Championship and a Players Impact Pool, which could push his final dollar amount beyond $70 million.
Amazingly, Scheffler’s caddie, Ted Scott, also reaped a financial bonanza. Caddies for tour professionals have different payment options, but generally, the scale is as follows: 10 percent of winnings if a caddie’s player wins, 7 percent for a top 10, and 5 percent for making the cut.
Following that formula, Scott could be up to $5,338,504 this season, if not more, after the Hero World Challenge. Scott’s total would place him 19th on the overall money list.
The ascension of Scheffler has been a steady rise. He captured the U.S. Junior title in 2013 and was a prime player when competing collegiately at the University of Texas.
After becoming a professional, his most noteworthy early achievement was being selected as a captain’s pick in 2021 for the USA Ryder Cup team. Scheffler was paired against Europe’s Jon Rahm in the final singles matches, and while many thought the Spaniard was the favorite, it was Scheffler who made a clear statement, birdieing five of the first six holes in defeating Rahm.
On May 21, 2023, Scheffler ascended to the top of the golf pecking order in the world rankings and has remained there since.
Scheffler has been keen on improving all aspects of his game—most notably an inconsistent putting stroke that has plagued him in various instances.
One notable example of his putting wobbles was during the 2022 Masters at the 72nd hole of the event when he limped home with a woeful four-putt yet still garnered the green jacket.
But a new claw grip was on display in the Bahamas, and his improvement was clearly noticeable.
Scheffler’s prowess in closing out tournaments is what separates him from other number-one players that have preceded him, including Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson.
In key wins this year during final rounds, he showcased the ability to never make a single bogey. His stellar performance in the Paris Olympics had him overcome a four-shot final-round deficit with a stunning round of 62—including a 29 on the inward nine.
Players realize if Scheffler is in form, like Woods before him, he will not likely fall backward when the pressure to perform is at its highest. That awareness has often meant those seeking to challenge him are pressed to make birdies in order to maintain pace.
Scheffler is well aware many will be watching if he can continue the dominance he showed in 2024. He has won two majors—both at Augusta—and adding such illustrious hardware will be a chief priority.
The year also brought him exhilaration off the course when his wife Meredith gave birth to their first child—a son named Bennett on May 8.
A low point came during the PGA Championship—later that month in May—when Scheffler was arrested for disobeying the directions of a police officer when attempting to enter the property in the early morning hours prior to his second-round play.
The situation did not ruffle Scheffler, who, when released shortly thereafter, scored a 66. All charges were later dropped, given the officer’s overreaction to the situation.
While he appears on the outside as a mild-manner Clark Kent—there’s no question the letter “S” is emblazoned on him.
Scheffler’s focus is not on relishing gains made but on putting future ones in motion. Can he surpass what he achieved in 2024 with a new season just ahead?
Those underestimating his competitive drive do so at their own peril.
Golf’s Superman is looking to scale even higher heights.
