It is almost impossible not to get slightly carried away when it comes to predicting just how successful Scottie Scheffler will prove to be across his career after the world number one won two of the last three major championships.
Scottie Scheffler is now just a US Open victory away from completing the Career Grand Slam. The 29-year-old won the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in May before dominating The Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
Scheffler now has four major titles to his name. And, while others have enjoyed dominant spells over the last couple of decades, it is certainly fair to argue that Scheffler is the game’s most impressive player since Tiger Woods.
Dan Rapaport predicts whether Scottie Scheffler will win 10 major titles
Few would have imagined when Rory McIlroy won the 2014 PGA Championship that he would have to wait another decade for his fifth major. Meanwhile, no one would have believed it had they been told after the 2015 US Open that Jordan Spieth would win just one more major in the next 10 years.
So some will be wary of predicting that Scheffler will become one of the greatest of all-time – even if he is currently on that trajectory.
And speaking on Dan on Golf, Dan Rapaport admitted that it is still more than likely that Scheffler will fall short of reaching double figures for major wins.
“I got caught up in the Rory McIlroy love fest after The Masters and said his over or under was nine. I don’t like that pick any more,” he said.
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“But Scottie is a different beast. He has got four right now. But I am going to say under. Do you know how many players have won 10 major championships? Three. Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Walter Hagen. That’s it, that’s the list.
“So every other golfer, you have Ben Hogan, Seve Ballesteros, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson. None of these guys got to 10. And I’m not saying Scottie won’t go down as a top 10 player of all time, but 10 majors is literally only three guys.
“There have been 1,000 guys who have won PGA Tour events now. Only three have won over 10 major championships.”
How many majors Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Ben Hogan won before turning 30
It is interesting to look at the most prolific spells of various players’ careers. Spieth was just about to turn 24 when he won his most recent major. Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson was still some way off winning his first at the age Scheffler is now.
There were more than two decades between the first and last major wins of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods’ careers. So clearly, Scheffler has still got so much to prove if he is going to be able to put his name alongside theirs.
PlayerMajors won before turning 30Total majors wonJack Nicklaus718Tiger Woods1015Walter Hagen411Ben Hogan09Gary Player49Tom Watson38Scottie Scheffler44
However, what cannot be denied is Scheffler is off to a phenomenal start.
Obviously, it is so much easier said than done, but it is frightening to think that another four-year spell like the one he has just had would see him on eight majors at the age of 33.
