Is Scottie Scheffler the next Tiger Woods? A number of records work in favor of this argument, even the number of recorded days between their four majors. In Scheffler’s case, it took him exactly 1,197 days to win his first green jacket in 2022 and lift his first Claret Jug in 2025; the same way as Tiger Woods’s took 1,197 days to win his first Masters title in 1997 and his first The Open in 2000. Several such numbers work in favor of that argument. But does Scheffler buy it?

A simple answer would be a “no,” and a longer answer would sound something like what it did a few days ago. Following his win at Royal Portrush, when Scheffler faced that question, he replied, “I still think they’re a bit silly. Tiger won, what, 15 majors? This is my fourth. I just got one-fourth of the way there. I think Tiger stands alone in the game of golf. He was inspirational for me growing up.” 

A few days since and during his recent appearance on Pardon My Take, he reiterated this stance, saying, “Yeah. I mean, I think anytime you can get mentioned in the same breath as some of the greats of the game, I think is really cool. But the comparisons, I think, are just very silly. Like, Tiger stands alone in the game of golf. I mean, he completely transcended the game. He was by far the best player that I think we’ll ever see in our lifetimes.” 

Scottie Scheffler adds, “There’s only one Tiger Woods, and you know, the rest of us are just trying to do our best out there. I think that’s really all it comes down to.” In golf, two towering pillars of achievement have long set the ultimate benchmarks of greatness. Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 major championships serves as the holy grail of golf. And during and following his retirement in 2005, Tiger Woods‘s remarkable 82 PGA Tour victories—now shared with Sam Snead—represent an equally impressive standard.

The conclusion? Scottie Scheffler has a point. Yet, Scottie Scheffler adds, “it’s not something that I think about on a daily basis, but when you see some statistics and you’re being compared to him in some way, that means you’re doing, you know, something right.” And the thing is — Scottie Scheffler isn’t the first golfer to face such comparisons with Woods.

For instance, Jordan Spieth was dubbed the next Tiger Woods after winning three majors between 2015 and 2017, while Brooks Koepka earned a similar comparison when he won four majors in rapid succession over two years. Even Rory McIlroy had the “next Tiger” tag after securing four major titles from 2011 to 2014. The point? Scottie Scheffler is just the new name on the list, and his runs (and more) are likely to continue drawing more comparisons, even with Jack Nicklaus.

Is Scottie Scheffler the “next Jack Nicklaus?” — No, not by the numbers

Comparing Scottie Scheffler to golf legends is inevitable, but one comparison that makes more sense is with Jack Nicklaus. According to Nicklaus, who spoke at the 2025 Memorial Tournament, “He plays a lot like I did.” It’s not hard to see why, given their shared emphasis on precise tee shots and approach play. Nicklaus noted that Scheffler’s style of play, where he focuses on getting into position and then playing smart, is reminiscent of his own approach.

Even Tiger Woods’s ex-coach, Butch Harmon, said on SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio, “In all the comparisons and stuff to Tiger and this and that, I think his greatest attribute that he has is he’s the closest thing to Jack Nicklaus I’ve ever seen mentally.”

A heartwarming moment that highlights the similarities between Scheffler and Nicklaus is their shared priority on family. After Scheffler’s win at The Open 2025, he was seen scooping up his 15-month-old son Bennett on the 18th green, a moment that echoed Nicklaus’s iconic photo with his son Gary after winning the 1973 PGA Championship. Nicklaus’s words, spoken years later in a Facebook post, resonate with Scheffler’s own values: “My favorite photo in golf… Family first, golf second.”

Nicklaus also said during his retirement, “I’m not really concerned about what my legacy is in relation to the game of golf, frankly. I’m more concerned with what my legacy is with my family, with my kids and my grandkids. That’s by far more important to me.” While comparisons to Tiger Woods are natural due to Scheffler’s dominance, their games and styles are quite different. Scheffler’s humility and emphasis on living a normal life, despite being the world’s top golfer, also set him apart from Woods’s larger-than-life persona.

As Scheffler said at Royal Portrush, “Every time I’m able to win a tournament, the first person I always look for is my wife. She knows me better than anybody. That’s my best friend. It takes a lot of work to be able to become good at this game, and I wouldn’t be able to do it without her support.” The point? The comparisons are here to stay, even if Scheffler could do without them.