'When Push Came To Shove, Xander Shot 65 On Sunday At Royal Troon To Make The Year His'
The pair have separated themselves as the top two players in the men's game - but has Schauffele overtaken his rival after two quickfire Major wins?
![Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WWg8QAz4CAzHsiVMrxFxPg-415-80.jpg)
Scottie Scheffler might have had an historic season and he might be ranked No.1 in the Official World Golf Ranking, but he is not the man with the most Major wins this year.
Xander Schauffele's stunning final round 65 at Royal Troon secured his second Major win since May after he held off Bryson DeChambeau to pick up the Wanamaker Trophy at Valhalla.
Schauffele has for some time been the second-best male pro in the world according to statistics but has he overthrown Scheffler as top dog now he's won two of the last three Majors?
Golf Monthly writers have their say...
A very tough one, but I think Scheffler just takes it on the back of his all-round form this season. He's won The Players and four other Signature events and has played such good tee-to-green golf that comparisons have been drawn with Tiger.
Schauffele has had an unbelievable season, though, and I wouldn't have an issue with anyone voting for him in this category.
I think for the first time in a while we can truly say we have a top two in the men's game. We've seemingly had a 'big three' for years and years but as things stand there are two players head and shoulders above the rest.
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When we look back at the history books, Xander Schauffele is the man of 2024. Two Majors beats one. He has overthrown Scottie Scheffler as the player of the year for me.
Sure, Scheffler has had an historic year but he's 'only' won one Major. All the other wins are great - especially The Players Championship - but when push came to shove, Xander shot 65 on Sunday at Royal Troon to make the year his.
There’s not much between them stats-wise and while Scottie Scheffler has the total victories, Xander Schauffele has the two Majors and my answer this time next year might be different - but right now I’d still give Masters champ Scheffler the nod.
It’s just his continued excellence that was just a notch above, that run of six wins in 10 is just hard to put into words how special of an achievement it is. Yep, just one was a Major but winning any golf tournament is hard and to keep winning big ones like that, including the week after the Masters, takes some doing.
And not to diminish Xander, but if Scheffler doesn’t get arrested at the PGA that may have been a different story. He still finished T8 by the way which tells it’s own story.
Two fabulous players but just Scheffler for me.
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Scheffler looked a little irritated at times at The Open – and he hit some strange shots. Still, even with what looked like his C or D-game, only six players scored better than him.
One of those, of course, was Xander Schauffele, who was in a league of his own at Royal Troon. Even the undisputed World No.1 couldn’t lay a glove on him.
Schauffele’s PGA Championship victory has clearly had a positive effect mentally – he now knows he has what it takes to beat the best players in the world on the Major stage.
However, Scheffler is still top dog – by a distance in my opinion. He’s won six times this year already. We haven’t seen such a run of dominat performances since Tiger Woods was in his pomp – and that says it all.
The numbers don't lie, and Scheffler has six wins to Schauffele's two.
Yes, Xander is 2-1 ahead in terms of the Majors this year, but Scottie hasn't exactly been winning his local club championships - they've largely been Major-like fields.
Both of their consistency is incredibly impressive, too, with 14 (Scheffler) and 12 (Schauffele) top-10 finishes, respectively. Scheffler has played 16 times without missing a cut while Schauffele has teed it up 18 times in 2024. He also hasn't missed a cut in over two years.
While Scottie is my (and the official) World No.1, both of them are MILES ahead of the chasing pack.
Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: Titleist TSi2
Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1
Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: Srixon Z Star XV
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