Frightening Scottie Scheffler stat highlights just how far his approach game is ahead of every other player on the PGA Tour

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If any golf fan was not entirely aware, it turns out that Scottie Scheffler is actually a pretty good iron player.

Of course, it is hard to find any fault with Scottie Scheffler‘s game based on the form he has shown during the 2024 season. The world number one won nine times worldwide, while he was also part of winning teams at the Presidents Cup and The Showdown.

Scheffler is not someone who blows the galleries away with the kind of shots you could not imagine another player hitting. However, his consistency is truly remarkable; the 28-year-old just does not appear to make any mistakes – particularly when it comes to getting the ball from the tee to the green.

Obviously, it will surprise no-one to know that Scheffler is first on the PGA Tour when it comes to strokes gained with his approach play. But it is alarming to see just how far ahead of the rest of the field he finds himself.

The gap between Scottie Scheffler’s approach game and the rest of the PGA Tour

Scheffler gains, on average, 1.269 shots per round with his approach play, while Tony Finau is second on 0.808 shots per round. Clearly, there is quite a substantial gap between the two.

But it is only when you look further down the list that you realise how large the gulf actually is. As TaylorMade have posted on their Instagram account, the gap between Scheffler and Finau is larger than the gap between Finau and Chan Kim.

Kim is 31st in the standings.

How the world’s top 10 compare with Scheffler in 2024

Scheffler has been, by far, the best player in the world in 2024. And the gap between himself and Finau speaks for itself. But it is also jarring when you then consider how the rest of the top 10 in the world performed with their irons this season.

Xander Schauffele was the highest in sixth, but he still lost more than half a shot to Scheffler per round. Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy lost an entire shot each round.

Some of Scheffler’s rivals may be focused on how well he putted at the Hero World Challenge as he went on to win by six. But clearly, if they do not manage to close the gap when it comes to their approach games, there is every chance that Scheffler will remain some way out in front on his own in 2025.