One of the biggest challenges the PGA Tour has faced over the last 15 years is finding a way to move forward beyond Tiger Woods, as the 49-year-old approaches the end of his career at the highest level.
In truth, it was always going to be a near impossible task. To say that Tiger Woods is a once in a generation talent would arguably be an understatement. There is an argument that Woods is the most talented player to ever play the game.
Few had an impact on golf like Woods. It is the reason that he remains such a draw even when he simply cannot get his body to give him a break.
There have been several outstanding players whose primes have come along since. Phil Mickelson won all six of his majors from 2004, while Brooks Koepka is the next best current player in the four biggest events on the calendar.
The current PGA Tour player who most reminds Steve Williams of Tiger Woods
Meanwhile, the likes of Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler have all had periods of dominance over the years. It remains to be seen where Scheffler’s ceiling sits.
Some have fallen away after reaching the summit. But the one player who has had the kind of longevity to rival Woods and Mickelson is the Northern Irishman, with McIlroy entering the top 10 in the world rankings back in November 2009.
With that, it is not entirely surprising that Steve Williams picked out the 35-year-old when asked by Fried Egg Golf if there has been a player who has come along since who most reminds him of Woods.
“When I look at Rory, I find him to be a very, very gifted athlete, a guy who works extremely hard on his game. And he strived to get better all the time as well and he works very, very hard and he’s physically – he’s like Tiger from when he came on the tour to now, his body formation and his physical presence is right up there,” he said.
“I just admire him as a player. And like everybody, we just hope that he can get over the line at Augusta and join that exclusive grand slam club and then perhaps he can make a significant run to add to his major tally.”
The three PGA Tour players who move the needle with television ratings
Rightly or wrongly, one of the most important factors in determining how much of a superstar a player is is the impact they have on television ratings.
While plenty of fans will always tune in to watch the best of the best at the top of their game, there is an added ingredient that arguably only a small number of players have – which encourages fans to watch no matter where they find themselves on the leaderboard.
Perhaps surprisingly, Scheffler’s stunning 2024 season did not have a huge impact on ratings. In fact, it has been claimed that three players in the current game move the needle – with Woods and McIlroy joined by Jordan Spieth.
It is a worrying statement for the PGA Tour. Woods is unlikely to play this year due to injury, while McIlroy is not going to be around forever either. Spieth meanwhile, has not won a major in more than seven years.
It would be unfair to expect anyone to try and step into Woods’ shoes. But the tour definitely does need players to try and emulate McIlroy and Spieth.
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