Tiger Woods and Scottie Scheffler share an uncommon obsession: practicing immediately after major wins. And a 53-year-old golf analyst close to the 82-time PGA Tour winner has seen that firsthand. Appearing on the Vanity Index Podcast on July 31, 2026, Notah Begay III drew on the 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla to explain how Woods reminds him of Scheffler.
“Tiger goes, wins dramatic fashion like only he could. I call him the next day. I go, ‘Where are you at? What are you doing?’ He goes, ‘I’m going to go practice.’ I’m like, ‘You just won the PGA Championship. You just won your third major in a row. No one’s done this in decades.’ He goes, ‘Yeah, but I’m playing really well, and I need to maintain it.’ That’s what sets him apart. And that’s one of the similarities I see in Scottie Scheffler.”
Advertisement
When Tiger won Valhalla in 2000 (18-under, playoff over Bob May), he practiced the next day. Scheffler is also like that.
Throughout the 2024 and 2025 seasons, everyone from golf professionals to analysts to fans has said that Scottie Scheffler is the modern-day Tiger Woods. However, that comparison has died down a little this year because Scheffler is not winning as many events as he used to, or as Woods did at his peak.
Yet, Scheffler’s 2026 season—five runner-ups and one win—shows that even relentless practice can’t guarantee results. But as Begay III’s comparison notes, the 20-time PGA Tour winner can always make a comeback because he has the skills, qualities, and mindset of a champion.
Woods has celebrated major triumphs with simple celebrations. For instance, he celebrated the 1998 Masters Dinner with a simple, youth-inspired menu comprising chicken sandwiches, cheeseburgers, French fries, and milkshakes.
Advertisement
Scheffler has a similar approach to victory. For instance, after winning the 2024 Masters, Scheffler was asked how he would celebrate. His answer won many hearts: get a breakfast burrito and some coffee to go home. Scheffler then added that he celebrated the win for a couple of days before moving on to the next event.
While the two have a lot in common, there are some differences, too. For instance, Scheffler has been very clear about his priorities. Speaking ahead of the 2026 U.S. Open, he said that a career Grand Slam would be sweet, but it has never been a motivating factor for him. He is just motivated to play golf and be the best version of himself.
Even last year, ahead of The Open Championship, he asked, “What’s the point?” For him, everything restarts as life goes on. One moment he will hug his family and enjoy the win, but in the next he will focus on the next event. Echoing similar sentiments, this time at The Open, he said that everyone lives their life and then it ends.
Meanwhile, Woods’ identity and daily life were far more singularly built around golf and the pursuit of greatness.
Advertisement
Trending Articles
The post Golf Legend Shares Tiger Woods’ Uncommon Behavior That Reminds Him of Scottie Scheffler appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.