Rory McIlroy Makes His Pick Between Scottie Scheffler And Xander Schauffele For PGA Tour Player Of The Year
Only two players are in the running for this year’s PGA Tour Player of the Year award. A single player could win each of the three FedEx Cup Playoff events, and it would still only leave Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele on an island of their own, which is a testament to just how great a year each player has had.
The term ‘historic’ gets tossed around far too often when discussing big-time moments in sports, but that’s one of the few words that gives Scheffler’s year the respect it deserves. He won his second Masters in April, a gold medal in the Paris Olympics, and in between those two life-changing moments he picked up five more wins on the PGA Tour.
Scheffler’s season-long resume ‘only’ includes one major victory, which is one fewer than Schauffele as he was able to complete half of the career Grand Slam in short order by winning both the PGA Championship and The Open.
Given that the entire golf world rightfully holds the four major championships above all else, an argument for Schauffele to win Player of the Year despite having fewer wins than Scheffler in 2024 is a legitimate one.
Scottie Scheffler should be the PGA Tour Player of the Year, according to Rory McIlroy. (Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports)
For PGA Tour Player of the Year, it shouldn’t be much of a debate. He’d rather have Scheffler’s year than Schauffele’s.
“Scottie’s,” McIlroy emphatically stated. “I think winning the Masters, an Olympic gold medal, winning, whatever it is, six times, it’s pretty hard to top that.”
“I’ve described Scottie as relentless, and this is just another example of that. He’s had an incredible couple of years. It was sort of like once he won that first one, it’s just like the flood gates have opened and he’s found a next gear and a next level,” McIlroy continued when asked about Scheffler’s gold medal performance in Paris.
It’s tough to argue with McIlroy’s logic, although Viktor Hovland said earlier in the week he’d take Schauffele’s season over Scheffler’s.
While we will continue to hold major championship victories above any other victories, it’s borderline impossible to imagine the PGA Tour not giving this year’s POY award to the man who has won far more than anyone else on Tour this season who also added a gold medal and a second green jacket to his wardrobe.