With around nine months until the world’s best will tee it up at The Masters, there is plenty of time to debate just where Scottie Scheffler ranks among the all-time greats following his victory at The Open Championship.
Scottie Scheffler is now a four-time major champion after winning The Open Championship at Royal Portrush. The world number one was completely dominant from the halfway mark in Northern Ireland.
The 29-year-old is now just a US Open victory away from completing the Career Grand Slam. Sir Nick Faldo believes that there is a good chance that Scheffler will win the US Open at Shinnecock Hills next year.
Scheffler’s win means that he has taken the same amount of time as Rory McIlroy to win four major titles. And it is going to be fascinating to see which player ends their career with more.
Brandel Chamblee picks between Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy in their primes
McIlroy still has the edge, after winning his fifth at The Masters. And many expected his triumph at Augusta National to lead to the floodgates opening.
But Scheffler has all of the momentum right now, with his first coming at The Masters in 2022. Scheffler has been backed to win around 10 majors during his career.
And speaking to Indo Sport, Brandel Chamblee has suggested that the debate over which player has been better at their best is not particularly close following Scheffler’s performance at the weekend.
“I hear you that we want close contests at the top of the leaderboards. It will happen from time to time, but he’s yet to play his best golf in major championships in my view,” he said.
“He is going to win by eight or 10. He is just so much better than anybody else. If you cherry picked Rory McIlroy’s best year ever playing professional golf, be it ’12, ’14 or ’19. He is not as good as Scottie Scheffler.
“In other words, he has never been as good as Scottie Scheffler.
“Rory is one of the greatest players of all time and if you double the ball striking, the strokes gained, of his closest competitors – two in the world, three in the world, four in the world, five in the world, they are nowhere near as good as Scottie Scheffler is. That is how much better he is than anybody else.”
How Rory McIlroy reacted to Scottie Scheffler winning The Open Championship at Royal Portrush
It is a remarkable statement from Chamblee. McIlroy appeared to be the natural successor to Tiger Woods when he arrived on the scene. And there have not been many players who have been more enjoyable to watch in full flight than McIlroy.
The 36-year-old is at a different stage in his career. And after his final round on Sunday, McIlroy spoke about what Scheffler has been able to do over the last few years.
“Yeah, none of us could hang with Scottie this week. He’s an incredible player. He’s been dominant this week. Honestly, he’s been dominant for the last couple years. He is the bar that we’re all trying to get to,” he said.
“In a historical context, you could argue that there’s only maybe two or three players in the history of the game that have been on a run, the one that Scottie’s been on here for the last 24 to 36 months. Incredibly impressive.
“Yeah, he’s a very worthy winner. Also, he’s a great person, and I think he’s a wonderful ambassador for our game as well. I’m really happy for him and Meredith and his family.”
McIlroy’s longevity suggests that this could be a rivalry golf fans could get to enjoy for several years. Hopefully, Scheffler’s levels inspire those looking to catch him.
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