Scottie Scheffler has taken the golf world by storm in recent years. Win after win has helped him carve a career that has already placed him among the sport’s elite. His consistency, calm demeanor under pressure, and rock-solid fundamentals have made him the standard-bearer of this era. His current performance, leading after 54 holes by 4 strokes at Royal Portrush, may prove to be the defining chapter. Whispers of a modern-day Tiger Woods have grown louder among fans and commentators alike. While some see shades of Woods in Scheffler’s dominance, others argue the comparison goes too far.

In his stunning third round of 67, he posted 14 pars, two birdies, and an eagle on the par-5 seventh. “I think the card could look stress-free, but I had two really nice par saves on the back nine that were key,” Scheffler said after his round on Saturday. His steady play has made him the man to beat on Sunday, and his form in 2025 has been nothing short of dominant.

He came to Northern Ireland with three wins already in the season, including the Memorial and the PGA Championship, and his game has shown almost no weaknesses. He ranks near the top in strokes gained tee to green, his putting has improved dramatically, and he continues to deliver under pressure. If we include his last season and his current form, we’ve seen him win the titles he has, not narrowly, but with a large margin (by 8 shots at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson), something similar to Tiger Woods’s dominant wins. We all remember Woods’s 2000 US Open win (which was almost botched, by the way) by a whopping 15 strokes, right?

With aspects like this and his cold-blooded efficiency, there is no doubt that Scheffler’s comparison with Woods will arise. Scheffler even tied a rare Tiger Woods record at the Open, becoming the first world No. 1 to lead the major after 36 holes.

Because of Scheffler holding the No. 1 spot for so long (148 weeks), a feat we haven’t seen since Woods, many fans and analysts are daring to ask if this is the closest anyone has come to Woods. Golf analyst Jim “Bones” Mackay, who was also Lefty’s long-time caddie, also voiced his opinion. “I never thought in my lifetime I’d see a player as close to Tiger as this man currently is,” Mackay said after Scheffler’s stellar third round at Dunluce.

Being compared to Tiger is a big thing. Scottie knows this well. “Anytime you can be compared to Tiger I think is really special, but, I mean, the guy stands alone I think in our game,” Scheffler once said. Mackay’s remark alone set off a wave of reactions across social media, and many fans were quick to weigh in on what many consider hallowed ground.

Fans react to Scottie Scheffler being compared to Tiger Woods

One fan commented, “With zero disrespect to Scottie, did y’all forget who Tiger Woods is?” summing up what many fans feel. While Scheffler’s skill is undeniably powerful, it doesn’t match up to Tiger Woods, who transcended the sport. The fan highlighted that comparing anyone to Tiger Woods almost feels like a disservice, not just to Woods, but to the context of what he achieved at a time when the game was evolving rapidly. Scheffler even won the best golfer ESPY award for the third time in a row this year, but Woods won it four times, from 2000-2003.

Another fan substantiated the comparison with facts. “Tiger Woods (by age 29, end of 2005): ✅ 10 major championships ✅ 46 PGA Tour wins ✅ World No. 1 for 378 weeks.  Scottie Scheffler (by age 29, current day): ✅ 3 major championships ✅ 14 PGA Tour wins ✅ World No. 1 for 128 weeks. Not even close!” the fan added.

The comment leans on hard numbers to make the case, stating that at Scheffler’s current age (29), Woods’ trophy case was already legendary. He had more than triple Scheffler’s current major tally and over three times the PGA Tour wins. Even his stranglehold on the World No. 1 ranking was unmatched, holding it for 378 weeks compared to Scheffler’s 128. The comparison, at least statistically, does not hold up.

“Tiger accomplished basically Scotties whole career so far just in the year of 2000,” another fan added to this, hinting at the jaw-dropping nature of Woods’s prime in 2000, where he won six consecutive events on the PGA Tour. It was the longest streak since Ben Hogan‘s feat in 1948. Woods even won the Career Grand Slam in 1999, being the youngest golfer to do so.

Another fan expressed that while Scheffler may not have his achievements even close to Woods, he’s still amazing —“He’s not close to Tiger… but he’s amazing!!!” This comment was a more balanced response that acknowledges the incredible talent of Scheffler without diminishing the legacy of Woods.

Scheffler, in his entire career, has won nearly 21 titles, including three majors. But again, this is seven times less than what Tiger Woods achieved in his entire career. To substantiate how Woods’ and Scheffler’s legacies are different, a fan explained how Tiger Woods was capable and bold enough to take risks on the course, but Scheffler is more of a stable and consistent player — “And for some reason it’s not the same. Tigers shot shaping ability and short game were so fun to watch. He took a lot of risks.” It was this quality of Woods and his aura, power, and ability to perform in the clutch that transformed how fans and players viewed greatness.

Clearly, for many, even raising the comparison feels sacrilegious, and they made their voices heard.