Scottie Scheffler doesn’t need additional world ranking points to prove what is already clear: he is by far the best golfer in the world at the moment. The 28-year-old American capped off a remarkable 2024 season by emerging from a two-month break to win the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, securing a six-stroke victory last Sunday.
The result was never in doubt. Scheffler, the reigning Masters, Players, and Olympic champion, delivered another dominant performance that further solidified his place at the top of the game. His victory came in a limited field of 20 players, with only three of the world’s top 10 competing, but it still highlighted his continued golfing excellence. He finished 25 under par to successfully defend his title, reaffirming his status as the game’s premier player.
“He doesn’t really do anything wrong,” commented Tiger Woods, the tournament host, who has witnessed plenty of great golfers but couldn’t help but marvel at Scheffler’s all-around game. While Woods remains far ahead in golf history, Scheffler is achieving feats that evoke comparisons to the 15-time major champion.
Scheffler’s consistency this year has been exceptional, posting a record of 293 under par across 21 starts. He won nine tournaments—42.9% of his events—tying Woods and Vijay Singh for the most prolific seasons in terms of victories. Moreover, Scheffler became the first male golfer since Woods in 2009 to finish and start the year as the world’s number one.
Woods, who had accumulated more world ranking points than any other golfer in 2000, 2005, and 2006, now finds Scheffler among the few who have surpassed the 700-point threshold in a calendar year. Scheffler’s 727 points in 2024 surpass Xander Schauffele’s 444 and Rory McIlroy’s 347, who also had stellar seasons.
Woods was particularly impressed by Scheffler’s ball striking during the final round in the Bahamas, commenting on the tightness of his ball flight. “If you stand behind him and watch the ball flight, it’s very tight either way,” Woods noted. He continued, “He’s making a significant number of birdies, but he’s not making any mistakes—no doubles, no loose bogeys here and there.” These qualities of consistency and discipline were hallmarks of Woods’ dominant years, and it’s clear Scheffler is following in those footsteps.
One area that had been viewed as a weakness for Scheffler was his putting. However, after switching to a mallet-style putter under the guidance of coach Phil Kenyon earlier this season, and refining his technique with a ‘claw’ grip for shorter putts, Scheffler’s performance on the greens has drastically improved. Woods, ever the traditionalist, jokingly remarked when he first saw the ‘claw’ grip, “What is that thing?” But he acknowledged Scheffler’s incredible feel around the greens, adding, “You can see it around his short game and trajectory control into greens. If he has consistency on the greens, he’s going to finish top 10 every week and pick off a lot of wins.”
For his commanding six-stroke win, Scheffler earned just over 30 world ranking points, further cementing his position at the top of the standings. However, the credibility of the official world rankings has come into question, as this event, being an invitation-only tournament, featured a limited field and no full competition. Despite the win, the points distribution seems inconsistent when compared to other events, such as the Asian Tour’s season finale, where Joaquin Niemann earned more points for a victory over a full field.
The debate surrounding the validity of the world rankings continues, especially as the LIV Golf League remains unrecognized by the Official World Golf Rankings. With the men’s game still divided since LIV’s arrival in 2022, the departure of LIV’s commissioner, Greg Norman, could signal a potential shift toward peace. But one thing remains certain: whenever the world’s best golfers meet next year, Scottie Scheffler will remain the man to beat.
