logo
Scheffler draws comparisons to Woods after dominant British Open win

Scheffler draws comparisons to Woods after dominant British Open win

Straits Times4 days ago
Golf - The 153rd Open Championship - Royal Portrush Golf Club, Portrush, Northern Ireland, Britain - July 20, 2025 Scottie Scheffler of the U.S. celebrates with the Claret Jug trophy after winning The 153rd Open Championship REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Scottie Scheffler had already cemented his place among golf's all-time greats, but his commanding four-shot victory at the British Open reignited comparisons to Tiger Woods.
Sunday's final round of the British Open at Royal Portrush was one of the more anticlimactic finishes to a major in recent memory and left many in the world of golf wondering if Scheffler was the heir to Woods' throne.
"I look everywhere and I try to find some kind of a weakness, somewhere where he can get derailed, and I just can't find it," NBC Sports analyst and former Ryder Cup-winning captain Paul McGinley said. "He might even prove to have more longevity than Tiger Woods."
Making comparisons to 15-times major champion Woods may be premature but world number one Scheffler, a four-time major winner, is playing in a league of his own and showing no signs of slowing down.
"I don't think we thought the golfing world would see someone as dominant as Tiger come through so soon, and here's Scottie sort of taking that throne of dominance," said 2024 British Open champion Xander Schauffele.
"You can't even say he's on a run. He's just been killing it for over two years now. He's a tough man to beat, and when you see his name up on the leaderboard, it sucks for us."
Scheffler won the Masters in 2022 and 2024, earned his first PGA Championship title this year followed by his fourth career major with his British Open triumph.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore Subsidies and grants for some 20,000 people miscalculated due to processing issue: MOH
Asia At least 19 killed as Bangladesh air force plane crashes at college campus
Singapore ST Explains: What does it mean for etomidate to be listed under the Misuse of Drugs Act?
Business Why Singapore and its businesses stand to lose with US tariffs on the region
Singapore NTU to have compulsory cadaver dissection classes for medical students from 2026
World US authorities probing passenger jet's close call with B-52 bomber over North Dakota
Singapore Jail for man who conspired with another to bribe MOH agency employee with $18k Paris trip
Singapore New research institute will grow S'pore's talent in nuclear energy, safety
The 29-year-old Texan joined Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player as the only players to win a Masters, PGA Championship and British Open before age 30.
"What he's doing is so dominant and so clinical," said NBC Sports analyst Brandel Chamblee. "I can't help but think that we are on an inevitable march towards one of the greatest careers in the history of golf."
Scheffler's 149-week run as the number one ranked golfer in the world is also the longest since Woods occupied the top spot for a record 281 weeks from 2005 to 2010.
"In a historical context, you could argue that there's only maybe two or three players in the history of the game that have been on a run, the one that Scottie's been on here for the last 24 to 36 months. Incredibly impressive," said world number two Rory McIlroy.
Scheffler, who will undoubtedly be favoured wherever he tees it up for the foreseeable future, will get a chance to become only the seventh player to complete the career Grand Slam of golf's four majors at next June's U.S. Open.
But despite an ability to make a complicated game seem simple at times and leave fellow competitors in awe, Scheffler is not ready to entertain talk about comparisons to Woods.
"Tiger won, what, 15 majors? This is my fourth," Scheffler said after winning the Claret Jug. "I just got one-fourth of the way there. I think Tiger stands alone in the game of golf.
"He was inspirational for me growing up. He was a very, very talented guy, and he was a special person to be able to be as good as he was at the game of golf." REUTERS
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Fencing-Olympic champion Kiefer finally claims world title as Georgian Bazadze makes history
Fencing-Olympic champion Kiefer finally claims world title as Georgian Bazadze makes history

Straits Times

time3 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Fencing-Olympic champion Kiefer finally claims world title as Georgian Bazadze makes history

Find out what's new on ST website and app. Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Fencing - Men's Individual Sabre - Semifinal - Makuhari Messe Hall B - Chiba, Japan - July 24, 2021. Sandro Bazadze of Georgia reacts during the match REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/ File Photo Local hero Sandro Bazadze made history in Tbilisi on Friday, winning Georgia's first-ever World Fencing Championships gold medal in the individual sabre event, while Olympic champion Lee Kiefer secured the United States' first gold in women's foil. Bazadze sent the home crowd into raptures as he secured a commanding 15-9 victory over France's Jean-Philippe Patrice in the final. The two-time European champion earlier dispatched Egypt's Ahmed Hesham, who upset several top seeds on his way to the semi-finals, with a 15-10 win. Meanwhile, three-time Olympic gold medallist Kiefer captured her long-awaited first individual world title with a dominant 15-4 win over France's Pauline Ranvier. She previously overcame third seed Martina Favaretto of Italy 15-10 in the semi-finals. Kiefer, 31, is aiming to become the first woman to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals in foil at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The championships have been steeped in history-making performances. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability Singapore MRT service changes needed to modify 3 East-West Line stations on Changi Airport stretch: LTA Singapore S'pore could have nuclear energy 'within a few years', if it decides on it: UN nuclear watchdog chief Asia 'Nothing like this has happened before': At least 16 dead as Thai-Cambodian conflict enters second day Life 'Do you kill children?': Even before independence, S'pore has always loved its over-the-top campaigns Singapore Lung damage, poor brain development, addiction: What vaping does to the body Singapore Tipsy Collective sues former directors, HR head; alleges $14m lost from misconduct, poor decisions Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly Earlier in the week, Hong Kong's Choi Ryan became his country's first world champion by defeating Russia's Kirill Bordodachev, competing as a neutral athlete, 15-9 in the men's foil final on Wednesday. Ukrainian Vlada Kharkova added to the drama by claiming the women's epee title in a nail-biting 15-14 victory over two-time Olympic medallist Katrina Lehis of Estonia. REUTERS

Spain ready to solve England puzzle in Euro final, says Putellas
Spain ready to solve England puzzle in Euro final, says Putellas

Straits Times

time3 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Spain ready to solve England puzzle in Euro final, says Putellas

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - Spain are remaining tight-lipped about what they expect from England in Sunday's Euro 2025 final in Basel, but midfielder Alexia Putellas says her side are ready for whatever Sarina Wiegman and her squad come up with. "England is a team that can come up with many things -- they can be in a low block and move forward, or they can be a team that wants to do both things, (but) we are a team with a lot of resources," Putellas told reporters at the Spanish team's base in Lausanne on Thursday. "If they decide to be in the low block and move forward, we have been able to play (in the past) and score goals. We are well-balanced so that they do not move forward ... it's hard to get the ball off us, we are ready for anything." The showdown pits title holders England, who have flirted with elimination en route to the final, against world and Nations League champions Spain, who have started their games in Switzerland slowly before growing into them and taking over. Putellas said that her side would not be taking anything for granted. "I try not to think about what has happened, what we have done or what we haven't done. In the end, these are unique moments that we have to live and that we are very excited about," she said. The game is also a rematch of the 2023 World Cup final that Spain won 1-0, and the two sides have also met in the Nations League earlier this year, with England winning 1-0 in February and Spain grabbing a 2-1 victory in June. "We are very excited, very ambitious, excited to continue growing, to continue making history and I think that gives us a lot of energy, we get a lot of energy to achieve our goal," Putellas said. REUTERS

South Africa's Van Schalkwyk hits first ever YODI double-century
South Africa's Van Schalkwyk hits first ever YODI double-century

Straits Times

time4 hours ago

  • Straits Times

South Africa's Van Schalkwyk hits first ever YODI double-century

Find out what's new on ST website and app. South Africa's Jorich van Schalkwyk became the first batter to score a double century in a Youth One-Day International (YODI) when he smashed 215 off 153 balls against Zimbabwe in Harare on Friday. Opener Van Schalkwyk, 18, who's innings contained 19 fours and six sixes, beat the previous record of 191 by Sri Lanka's Hasitha Boyagoda against Kenya in 2018. It comes after the right-hander hit a South African record 164 against Bangladesh on Tuesday, which he has now beaten and taken the overall YODI top score to boot. Batting first, South Africa posted a team record 385 all out in one ball shy of 50 overs, before bowling Zimbabwe out for 107. The 278-run margin of victory is also a YODI record, topping Australia's 209-run win over Namibia in 2012. REUTERS

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store