Scottie Scheffler has matched a feat legendary golfer Tiger Woods achieved.
Scottie Scheffler has won the PGA Tour player of the year award (Image: GETTY)
Scottie Scheffler has become only the second man after Tiger Woods to win the PGA Tour player of the year award in three consecutive seasons. The 28-year-old achieved the feat after receiving 91 per cent of the vote from his fellow professionals.
Scheffler has enjoyed a remarkable season on the golf course and landed his second Masters title in April, before winning a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Paris.
He also got his hands on another six titles as he became the first golfer to win seven tournaments in one season since Woods did the same thing in 2007.
“On behalf of the PGA Tour, congratulations to Scottie Scheffler on a truly historic season, capped off with his first FedExCup title and today a third consecutive Jack Nicklaus Award as PGA Tour player of the year,” explained PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan.
“Scottie took on challenges from the best players in the world on the biggest stages all season, and being honoured as PGA Tour player of the year is the ultimate sign of respect from his peers.”
And after picking up the award, Scheffler explained: “I think we’re always looking to compare somebody to Tiger Woods. I saw it a lot growing up but there’s really only one Tiger – that’s just kind of it.”
Tiger Woods was the first golfer to win the PGA Tour player of the year award three seasons in a row (Image: GETTY)
Discussing his triumph at the Olympics, he added: “I would say the nine holes that kind of sticks out to me the most maybe would be the back nine at the Olympics.
“The way that [caddie] Teddy [Scott] and I kind of finished off that tournament was pretty cool.”
Scheffler hasn’t had everything his own way this year, however, as he was arrested ahead of the second round at the US PGA Championship in May as he attempted to enter Valhalla Golf Club in heavy traffic.
He was subsequently charged with assault of a police officer, criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding traffic signals from an officer before the charges were all dropped.
And discussing his brief stint in a prison cell in September during an exchange with fans on the driving range at the Presidents Cup, he revealed: “Jail is kind of boring to be honest with you. I needed something to do. I was alone in the jail cell.
“One of the guys in the jail, the first guy, a police officer who knew who I was, literally walked up in disbelief going, ‘What the heck did you do?’ I was like, ‘I dunno.’”
