The TOUR Championship always gathers golf’s best, but heading into this year’s finale, all eyes are locked on Scottie Scheffler.
The 29-year-old Texan has already collected five titles in 2025, including a victory at the BMW Championship, and is now being hailed by many as the dominant player of his generation.
That success, however, comes with constant comparisons to Tiger Woods, a narrative Scheffler has made clear he doesn’t enjoy.
When asked during his pre-tournament press conference about being the first player since Woods (2006-07) to win five or more times in consecutive seasons, Scheffler did not mince words.
“I mean, I think it’s a greater discussion. I think in the simplest form, I think it’s very silly to be compared to Tiger Woods,” he said.
Despite his reluctance to be measured against Woods, Scheffler has not shied away from acknowledging the 15-time major champion’s influence on modern golf. In fact, his only on-course experience with Woods left a lasting impression.
An encounter that changed his perspective
The two were paired in the final round of the 2020 Masters, a tournament where neither player was contending. But for Scheffler, the day revealed a side of Woods he had never witnessed up close.
“I can’t tell you the look on his face when we got to the 1st green, and I look over, and we’re in 20th place, kind of playing, yada, yada, yada, and I look over and this guy is just locked in, and I was taken aback. I was like, holy smokes. Then we got to the 2nd hole, and he had this chip shot and he looked at it like it was an up-and-down to win the tournament. I’m like, this is incredible. I’ve never seen anything like this before in my life,” Scheffler recalled.
Even on a day when Woods posted a 10 on the 12th hole, he recovered with five birdies over his final six holes, finishing with a 76. For Scheffler, the mental toughness was unforgettable. “I think he completely transcended the game of golf,” he added.
But as much as Woods inspired him, Scheffler remains firm in his stance against comparisons. “I don’t even like comparisons to other players because I think when we come out here, I’m doing the best I can to be the best version of myself. I don’t think about legacy, I don’t think about the past. I try to get the most out of myself each week. I just don’t really love the comparisons at all.”
The Tiger challenge at East Lake
While Scheffler may shrug off the Woods parallels, golf analyst Brandel Chamblee believes the ultimate test lies ahead.
Pointing out that no FedExCup points leader has gone on to win the TOUR Championship since the playoffs began in 2007, except Woods, Chamblee issued a challenge.
“Since the FedExCup playoffs began in 2007, the player leading the playoffs going into the @TOURChamp has only once shot the lowest score at East Lake. In 2007, Tiger Woods, in one of his best years ever, was leading the playoffs going into the Tour Championship and then shot 257 to win by 8. He was truly on another level.”
That “curse” has stood for nearly two decades, and now it’s Scheffler’s turn to try to break it. Doing so will demand not just technical precision but also the kind of mental edge that Woods displayed time and again.
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