Follow us on Google Discover Scottie Scheffler continued his excellent 2026 season with an eight-shot victory at last week’s FedEx St Jude Championship.
Scheffler dominated the weekend at TPC Southwind and never gave his nearest rivals, Si Woo Kim and Sam Burns, a chance.
The world number one has now overtaken Rory McIlroy ($116.49 million) on the PGA Tour’s career earnings list.
Scheffler ($119.96 million) is now just over $1 million behind Tiger Woods and could surpass him as early as this Sunday.
Here is what Scheffler had to say about potentially overtaking the 82-time PGA Tour winner and 15-time major champion.
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty ImagesScottie Scheffler discusses Tiger Woods’ career earnings record
Scottie Scheffler admitted that a key reason he is close to overtaking Tiger Woods is that the prize money is much bigger nowadays.
“That has a lot to do with the purses and all that,” he said ahead of the BMW Championship. “I’m not really too close to him in terms of career wins, so.
“What, am I like a fourth of the way there? Something like that (laughing).”
Scheffler then explained that the PGA Tour players are “very grateful” for Woods’ impact on the game, which has generated more money.
How many times do you think Scottie Scheffler will win in 2027?
He has now won 21 times on the PGA Tour!
He continued: “Tiger did a lot for the game of golf, and he put us in a position where we’re able to earn some pretty good stuff financially, so that’s something we’re very grateful for.
“Tiger’s contributions to the game, when you look at where the purses were at before he came out on Tour to where they’re at now, is a pretty stark difference, and we’re very thankful for his contributions to the game, and hopefully we’ll see him back out here competing again soon.”
Even though Scheffler catching Woods in prize money does not suggest that he is a better player, he can still be incredibly proud.
Winning 21 PGA Tour events in just five seasons is Woods-esque, and Scheffler has shown no signs of slowing down.
Photo by Austin Kaseman/Augusta National/Getty ImagesScottie Scheffler responds to Jack Nicklaus comparison after reaching 50 podium finishes
Scottie Scheffler was also made aware of another stat: the FedEx St. Jude Championship was his 50th top-three finish at a professional tournament.
However, Jack Nicklaus finished in the top three 165 times in his career, including 46 times at majors, leaving the 30-year-old with a lot of work to do.
“You’re really challenging me this morning with the numbers (laughing),” Scheffler reacted. “No, I think giving yourself consistently chances to win says a lot.
“I talk a lot about how hard and difficult it is to win out here on Tour. The best way to win tournaments is to give yourself as many opportunities as you can.
“So that is nice for me to have some numbers where I’m giving myself opportunities to win. I think that’s most important.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to continue to do that going forward. But I think the consistency of putting myself in contention week in week out is something that I’m very proud of.”
Scheffler may not be considered as great as Woods and Nicklaus yet, but he has done extremely well to be compared to them at this stage of his career.
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