The Players: Scottie Scheffler says a dominant player would be good for golf as he looks to defend Sawgrass title | Golf News
World No 1 Scottie Scheffler says it would be “good for the game” if one player was able to dominate golf but does not see anyone enjoying the sustained success of Tiger Woods.
Woods – missing this week’s Players at TPC Sawgrass as Scheffler looks to defend the title he won in 2023 – won 14 majors between 1997 and 2007 as he bossed the sport.
Scheffler is the form player in the current era, extending his lead at the top of the world rankings with a five-stroke victory at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
Scheffler will begin his Players title defence on Thursday, live on Sky Sports
The 27-year-old, who has posted top-12 finishes in 25 of his last 30 starts on the PGA Tour and last missed a cut in August 2022, said: “In my lifetime, Tiger has been the guy that has dominated. I don’t know if we will ever see anything like that in the game of golf.
“Guys pop up on the radar and win a load of tournaments at once but nobody’s really been able to have the longevity that Tiger had.
“I think it would be good for the game [if someone dominated]. We’ll see what happens with the sport in the next few years.
Scheffler praises Tiger Woods for his excellence in the sport and how much of an honour it is to play alongside him
“I think of the NBA, you look at Steph Curry for those years where the [Golden State] Warriors were winning a bunch, people would say they got tired of it.
“But, at the end of the day, people were still showing up and watching because he was incredible to watch, and you want to watch greatness when you’re out there.
“[Golf] is a pretty challenging game and we’ve got a lot of talent out here, so being that dominant figure is a very tall task to ask of anybody. But we’ve got some guys out here that I think can definitely pull it off.”
Highlights from the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational as Scheffler romped to victory
‘In tournament weeks being No 1 doesn’t do anything for me’
On how much stock he places on being world No 1, Scheffler said: “It is nice. I would much rather be No 1 than No 2 but in my day-to-day life it doesn’t really affect anything.
“It’s probably much harder to stay No 1 than get there so if it’s something that is going to occupy a lot of my thoughts then I don’t think that’s a good thing.
“In tournament weeks being No 1 doesn’t do anything for me. I don’t get an extra stroke. It doesn’t really matter at the end of the day.
We hear from some of the biggest names in golf to discuss why there’s never been a back-to-back winner of The Players Championship.
When asked why no player has won The Players back-to-back, Scheffler added: “I think it’s just the nature of the course, it doesn’t really suit one type of player.
“It really is a genius design where you have to hit all different kinds of shots, and it tests you in a lot of different ways. That’s why I think it’s one of the best places we play.
“Bomb and gouge doesn’t really work out here, you have got to plot your way around, but then you even have the shorter hitters that plot it around that can struggle here.
“You have got to hit it exactly where you’re looking or you’re going to be punished pretty severely out here.”
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Who will win The Players? Watch the opening round live on Thursday from 11.30am on Sky Sports Golf
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