We might be used to seeing Scottie Scheffler on top of the golfing world in recent times but going back some 11 years we can also reflect on a remarkable debut.
Scheffler’s brilliance in the last few years has been there for all to see and going into 2026, it would be a huge surprise to see him not add to his major haul.
Still, just like every golfer on the PGA Tour, Scheffler had to start somewhere on TOUR.
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For Scheffler, that very first opportunity came as a teenager when he was given the chance to play in the CJ Cup Byron Nelson all the way back in 2017.
And looking at that week, it’s safe to say we all got a glimpse of what might be to come.
Scottie Scheffler’s PGA Tour debut
As an amateur golfer, Scottie Scheffler went into the Byron Nelson in 2017 knowing he’d not qualify for any prize money on offer.
Still, just as we’ve become used to in the modern day, Scheffler impressed. And in some style.
Scheffler ended up finishing the tournament as a whole on four under par. It was enough to land a 22nd place finish for the Texan and his status meant he had to forgo a cool $60,000.
Still, that wasn’t even the most impressive thing about Scheffler’s first PGA tournament.
During round three, and with the family element kept going with his sister on the bag, Scheffler managed to make a hole in one.
Needless to say, the world was put on notice by Scheffler that day and looking on to a near decade later, it’s obvious this was a sign of things to come.
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Scottie Scheffler’s career earnings since his PGA Tour debut
He might have given up that $60,000 back in 2017 but it’s safe to say he hasn’t missed it since.
Scheffler is one of the top earning money earners in the history of the sport and sits behind only Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy as the leading prize money winners.
| Player | Prize money earned |
| Tiger Woods | $120,999,166 |
| Rory McIlroy | $107,981,766 |
| Scottie Scheffler | $99,382,766 |
| Phil Mickelson | $96,727,968 |
| Dustin Johnson | $75,695,066 |
| Justin Rose | $73,736,017 |
| Jim Furyk | $71,507,269 |
Scheffler has hauled in north of $99m from the PGA Tour and with the prize pots ever increasing, he is on course to break through Woods’ record of $120m in the not too distant future.
Sure enough, should Scheffler have a similar year to what he had in 2025, then he will go number one anyway.
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