Scottie Scheffler leaves PGA Tour rivals trailing with eye-watering $24million winning run
Scottie Scheffler tees it up at the U.S. Open knowing his sixth title of a remarkable season would take him close to $30m in prize money - just for 2024.
The world no.1 is the dominant force in men’s golf right now and nothing underlines that more than his titles this season. He has five tournament victories so far including his second Masters in three years.
He narrowly missed out on his first major outside of Augusta National when he finished in a tie for eighth at the USPGA Championship, however his arrest and the subsequent dropping of all charges made more headlines than his golf just a few weeks ago.
Scheffler arrives at Pinehurst as the red hot U.S. Open favorite. A title winner at The Memorial last week to go with his Green Jacket and three more victories all before the end of June.
Scottie Scheffler in 2024
Played - 13
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Top 25 - 13
Top 10 - 12
Titles - 5
Fed Ex Cup - 4,351pts (1st)
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Prize Money - $24,024,553
However it’s the extraordinary prize money that has also captured the headlines.
Tournament wins have provided huge cheques and Scheffler’s remarkable consistency - he has made every cut and not finished outside the top 25 this season - he has raked in more than $24million in prize money.
To put that in context, USPGA champion Xander Schauffele is second on the money list with $11.5m, despite being a model of consistency by making every cut and finishing in the top 25 for 13 of his 14 starts.
Scheffler has more than double the earnings than that of his nearest rival and he has already set a new record for the most PGA Tour earnings in a season.
The 27-year-old has set a new benchmarck in each of the last two seasons and because of the PGA Tour’s enhanced prize funds he is already $3m clear of last year’s total and there are two majors, the FedEx Cup Play Offs and three months of the season still to play.
Scheffler will tee up alongside world no.2 Schauffele and world no. 3 Rory McIlroy for the first two rounds at the U.S. Open and the prize on offer is one of the biggest on the PGA Tour this year.
The $21.5m fund is second only to the Players Championship, a tournament won by Scheffler, which saw him walk away with the $4.5m champion's share.
If the Texan is successful this week in North Carolina, his prize will be $4.3m alongside a third major title - that will put him just short of a never-before seen $30million in prize money for the season.
Winning Machine
The Memorial - $4m
RBC Heritage - $3.6m
Masters - $3.6m
The PLAYERS - $4.5m
Arnold Palmer Invitational - $4m
However Scheffler and the rest of the 156-player field will be tested.
Pinehurst is regarded as one of the toughest courses in the world, and players have already spoken about the ‘cereal-bowl’ greens causing havoc - and it was evident in the early play on Day One.
Videos emerging from the practice days have shown balls landing on the putting surface but finding a slope that takes it away from the flag, picking up pace and ending up nestled in the trees.
This week Scheffler will have to earn his money.