Scottie Scheffler had one of the ridiculous seasons in golf historical past, a 12 months that noticed him win 9 occasions total. He gained at Augusta Nationwide, stormed again to end atop the rostrum in Paris, and took house 4 Signature Occasion titles too.
He additionally by no means shied away from his character, counting on his religion, his belief in his course of, and his rising household to achieve a degree inside the sport not seen since Tiger Woods. It’s no surprise he turned the first participant since Woods to win the Participant of the 12 months award for the third consecutive season. He dominated 2024, profitable extra instances this 12 months than in 2022 and 2023 mixed.
With out additional ado, listed here are 15 stats that assist present how exceptional Scheffler’s 2024 was:
1. First Participant to win The Gamers, The Masters, and Tour Championship in the identical season
These three wins communicate for themselves. Scheffler shot an 8-under 64 on Sunday at TPC Sawgrass, overcoming a five-shot deficit to win by one. He additionally turned the primary participant to win back-to-back Gamers Championships. He then held off loads of contenders at Augusta, taking part in mistake-free golf en path to claiming his second inexperienced jacket. After which, in Atlanta in August, Scheffler separated himself from the sector regardless of his disdain for the beginning strokes format.
2. First participant since Tiger Woods to win Participant of the 12 months thrice in a row
As famous above, Scheffler is now in rarefied air. Moreover Scheffler and Woods, solely Rory McIlroy has gained three titles total, doing so in 2012, 2014, and 2019. However solely Woods has gained this occasion at the least thrice consecutively, doing so twice. Woods gained three straight from 2005 to 2007 after which gained it on 5 straight events from 1999 to 2003. So if Scheffler retains this up for the following two years, he’ll match a exceptional feat and tie the person who put forth the best stretch of golf ever performed.
3. Greatest scoring common in a single season on file
Scheffler posted a scoring common of 68.01, which is preposterous. Xander Schauffele ranked second on this record, ending the season with a median rating of 68.52.
4. First in birdie common on PGA Tour and par-breaker share.
Scheffler made 4.88 birdies per spherical and had a par-breaker share of 27.93%, which means he would have a birdie or an eagle almost a 3rd of the time. From tee to inexperienced, he was unstoppable. Nonetheless, the identical can’t be mentioned about his placing, which helps clarify why he didn’t make extra birdies.
5. Second in bogey avoidance and second in bounce-back share
For those who return and watch the ultimate spherical of the Masters, Scheffler made zero errors. He performed conservatively on each shot, not aggressively, much like how Woods and Jack Nicklaus did throughout their heydays. That helps clarify why Scheffler ranked second in bogey avoidance, dropping a shot solely 9.85% of the time. However when he did make a mistake, he normally bounced again, birdieing the following gap at a clip of 31.75%, good for second on tour. Speak about resilience.
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6. Third participant since 1981 to have 7 wins or extra in a season
Solely Woods and Vijay Singh have gained seven PGA Tour occasions in a single season over the previous 43 years. Nonetheless, Scheffler gained an Olympic Gold in Paris, which was not counted as an official PGA Tour occasion, not like the DP World Tour. He then capped off his 12 months with a victory on the Hero World Problem, a 20-man exhibition not acknowledged by the tour. So in the event you add these two, you get 9 wins, which was the file set by Woods in 2000 and matched by Singh in 2004.
7. Most consecutive rounds of par or higher to begin a season on file
No surprise why his season-scoring common was so low. Scheffler started the 2024 season with 41 straight rounds underneath par, a mind-blowing accomplishment. His streak ended throughout the third spherical of the PGA Championship at Valhalla—the one spherical this 12 months by which he didn’t have his caddy, Ted Scott, on the bag. Coincidence?
8. Fifth participant to have a number of back-to-back title defenses since 1995
Scheffler defended his titles efficiently at The Gamers and the Hero World Problem. He additionally gained the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2022 and once more this 12 months. The identical sample applies to his two Masters victories in 2022 and 2024.
9. Led three of six Strokes Gained stats
Regardless of what appears to be like like an unbalanced shuffle on each shot that he hits, Scheffler ranked first in strokes gained tee-to-green, strokes gained method, and strokes gained complete. He break up fairways and located greens at an astonishing price. However he may additionally depend on his nifty quick sport when he wanted to rise up and down. No surprise he ranked above everybody else in these metrics.
10. Lethal wedge play
Scheffler’s wedge sport could also be his biggest attribute. He can hit any shot together with his wedges, a testomony to his really feel and creativeness. He ranked first in approaches from inside 100 yards, first from 50 to 125 yards, and first from 100 to 125 yards. Speak about pinpoint accuracy.
11. Didn’t matter when Scottie teed off
Morning or Afternoon? It didn’t matter. Scheffler ranked second within the early wave scoring common, posting a rating of 68.39 throughout the morning. He then fared barely higher within the afternoon, recording a scoring common of 67.85, good for first on tour.
12. Tied for many consecutive top-20s to begin a season
All of this otherworldly play led to unbelievable outcomes. When he didn’t win—normally as a result of he didn’t make putts—Scheffler nonetheless discovered himself on the entrance web page of the leaderboard. He started the season with 13 consecutive top-20 finishes, a PGA Tour file. His spectacular streak ended at Pinehurst No. 2, the place he tied for forty first within the U.S. Open.
13. Quickest to 6 wins since 1962
After Scottie Scheffler defeated Tom Kim in a playoff on the Vacationers Championship, he picked up his sixth win of the season already, doing so by July 1. He thus turned the quickest participant to earn six titles in a season since 1962, when Arnold Palmer did so. Palmer’s sixth win got here at Colonial. Like Scheffler this 12 months, Palmer’s trophy case from 1962 included a win on the 1962 Masters.
14. 77th in strokes gained placing
A lot has been made about Scottie Scheffler’s placing, the one attribute in his sport that doesn’t rank as extremely because the others. So, on condition that he was second on tour in proximity to the opening think about if he was a barely higher putter. Double-digit wins this 12 months may have been in play. However, after switching to the ‘claw’ grip and utilizing it from inside 15 ft, Scheffler gained the Hero World Problem by six. Maybe that’s a harbinger of issues to return in 2025.
15. One arrest on the PGA Championship
Maybe essentially the most distinguished golf story of the 12 months got here on Friday morning, Might 17. Whereas on his method into Valhalla Golf Membership, Lousiville Metro Police detained Scheffler for allegedly disobeying police orders and assaulting an officer together with his car. Prosecutors then dropped the fees two weeks later after digicam footage confirmed them to be exaggerated, however no person will ever overlook the scenes that performed out that morning. Hours earlier than his second-round tee time, Scheffler stood in a jail cell with a jumpsuit on. His mugshot went viral, however he was then launched in time for him to play. He shot a 6-under 66 that day, an astonishing accomplishment contemplating the psychological toll this episode should have had on him.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. You’ll want to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.