The two players Tom Watson said were the most impressive modern-day golfers to him in 2023

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Tom Watson remains one of the most respected figures in world golf thanks to his superb efforts on the course throughout his career.

Watson is an eight-time major winner, securing all of his major championship titles between 1975 and 1983.

He is also a legendary figure for the American Ryder Cup team, and has 39 PGA Tour wins in total on his honours list.

A handful of players are currently looking to follow in his footsteps, although they are all well behind Tiger Woods in the all-time list in terms of those still active.

Woods is joint top of the pile on 82 victories, while Rory McIlroy is quickly moving up the leaderboard with 29.

The two players Tom Watson said were the most impressive modern-day golfers

Interestingly, Watson named Jack Nicklaus as the best golfer ever back in 2005, with the former offering another verdict on top players in 2023.

Asked who impresses him the most among the contemporary players, he told Golf: “I really like [Jon] Rahm and [Scottie] Scheffler.

“They go at it in different ways. Scottie’s got that upright swing. Jon’s is short, with the bowed wrist – short but powerful. But more than anything, I like how they handle themselves and treat people.”

READ MORE: Ben Griffin claims he’s now doing what Tiger Woods and Scottie Scheffler ‘always’ do after winning on the PGA Tour again

Scottie Scheffler vs Jon Rahm career stats

Scheffler is clearly the player to watch right now, with the American rightfully sitting top of the world rankings.

He is a 19-time winner on the PGA Tour, with six of those victories arriving this season alone, following on from seven last year.

Rahm meanwhile is an 11-time champion, although he decided to swap the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in early 2024.

There, the Spaniard has enjoyed superb success, with Rahm winning back-to-back LIV Golf individual titles.

Their intriguing rivalry has unfortunately not been as prevalent in recent times since Rahm’s defection, but fortunately they have been able to reunite at major championships.

Another exciting reunion also played out at the Ryder Cup in September, when Rahm’s Europe defeated Scheffler’s USA at Bethpage Black.