How excessive can Scottie Scheffler fly? 

ATLANTA — Scottie Scheffler emerged from the East Lake Golf Membership scorer’s room, the place he’d simply signed for a spherical that may p. In his left hand, he held his younger son Remy; behind him, spouse Meredith held their older son Bennett. Close by, household and mates stood beside PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp, all of them ready to go again out to East Lake’s 18th inexperienced for the presentation of the FedEx Cup. 

There have been a number of these moments for Scheffler and his household during the last four-plus seasons, a number of 18th-green ceremonies and trophies. He’s on a generational heater now; Scheffler has overwhelmed his contemporaries so badly and so usually that he’s now working his means again via the historical past books.

Scheffler received the Tour Championship by three comparatively drama-free strokes on Sunday, claiming a $10 million prize that y. Scheffler — who as of January 2022 had not received a single PGA Tour occasion — is now the all-time cash winner on the PGA Tour. There are ascents to stardom, after which there’s the straight-vertical vector that Scheffler is on. 

Let’s put apart the Tour’s unusual, perpetual fascination with gamers’ earnings. Let’s additionally notice that Scheffler had the exceedingly luck to begin enjoying at a world-beating stage on the precise second when the PGA Tour’s LIV-influenced purses grew dramatically throughout the board. The easy fact right here is that Scheffler is successful at a tempo that places him in essentially the most elite of firm. 

One other stipulation: Woods has received 82 tournaments, Scheffler 22. Scheffler has spent 207 complete weeks at No. 1 on the planet, Woods held that spot for 683 complete weeks. Woods has 15 majors, Scheffler 4. Woods is likely one of the most well-known human beings on earth; Scheffler nonetheless has a good probability of going out for a burger with out getting acknowledged. 

However the development right here is unmistakable: Scheffler is getting into all-time territory. Should you’re searching for one other reachable milestone, there’s this: Woods holds the report for consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the planet at 281, set in 2010. (Your bar trivia for the day: Who knocked Woods out of that prime spot? Lee Westwood.) Scheffler is at 172 straight weeks, which means that if he retains enjoying at this stage, he’ll match Woods a bit over two years from now.

What may cease Scottie? Actually something. It’s value remembering that, with uncommon exception, golf careers even on the elite stage, are fragile and fleeting. Arnold Palmer received all seven of his majors in a seven-season stretch from 1958 to 1964. Brooks Koepka captured 4 majors in a three-season stretch from 2017 to 2019, received one other in 2023, and appears a good distance from a sixth. 

For one factor, Scheffler appears susceptible to inventive illnesses; he value himself a number of tournaments when he lower his hand on a wine glass whereas making ravioli previous to the 2025 season. And simply final week, he contracted a painful case of hand, foot and mouth illness. 

For one more, Scheffler is enjoying in essentially the most hypercompetitive period in golf historical past. The depth of expertise up and down the leaderboard means each single week is a avenue struggle. Scheffler acknowledges this. Hell, he’s made for this second. 

“for those who're enjoying Monopoly, he desires to beat you,” caddie Ted Scott stated after Scheffler’s spherical. “He simply has a very excessive expectation to compete at a excessive stage, it doesn’t matter what he's doing.”

For Scheffler, who famously retains a stage head about all this all-time-great blathering, the key comes within the particulars. The willingness to work just a bit bit more durable than everybody else on the boring, unspectacular features of the sport that nobody else desires to work on. 

“So as to grow to be good at this recreation, it’s a must to actually benefit from the more durable components of it, the stuff that's a bit bit extra mundane,” Scheffler stated. “Whether or not or not it’s engaged on my endurance within the bike within the fitness center, or figuring out once I don't need to, or going out to the course and practising the issues that may be a bit extra tedious that different guys could not (observe), I really feel like late on Sundays stuff like that tends to point out up.”

Late on Sundays. Should you’re ever searching for Scottie Scheffler, that may be a great place to begin. And after that, look to the highest of golf’s all-time leaderboards. He’s headed that means.