Who would make the Mount Rushmore in golf? That is a question that would have a lot of answers from a lot of people. Even Tiger Woods had once revealed his stellar list of four athletes back in 2018 including Sam Snead, Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, and finally, himself (yes, you read that right!). But now, with Scottie Scheffler dishing out his best year on Tour, one can’t help but wonder; will he be the new addition to everyone’s iconic list?

A polarizing topic for sure, the idea of stuffing inside the list of just four great athletes in a sport that boasts so many more is nothing if not controversial. Even Jack Nicklaus not including the likes of Arnold Palmer or Old Tom Morris was met with dissatisfaction from many. Then what of Scheffler, the golfer who hasn’t reached even half of the professional wins that Woods boasts? Well, a cut-throat answer would be a resounding ‘No’, but it would be good to have an open mind about the same!

Scottie Scheffler over the years as a PGA Tour Pro

The 28-year-old turned professional back in 2018. However, he only entered the Jay Monahan-led circuit a couple of years later in 2020. The golfer, since then, has had a remarkable career with 4 wins coming off in 2022, and 2 in 2023, not to mention the 7 victories, not including a Gold Medal at the Paris Olympics, in 2024.

Although the athlete has carded so many wins over the last few years, he hasn’t managed to replicate it when it comes to the major championships. Out of his 19 major starts as a professional, the golfer has only accumulated two triumphs, both of which came at Augusta National during the Masters Tournament, in 2022 and 2024. A far shorter number than that of Woods.

Tiger Woods vs Scottie Scheffler; a ‘Major’ comparison

What about Tiger Woods then? The 48-year-old, after turning professional in 1996, has teed off in a lot of major championships. And just a year later, the future legend managed to clinch his first-ever major win at the 1997 Masters, that too at the age of 21. Since then, he has been unstoppable, that is until his unfortunate series of health issues.

Scheffler, meanwhile, claimed his first major win at the 2022 Masters at the age of 27, much behind the Hall of Famer. Moreover, his having just two triumphs in the four prestigious events while the likes of Nicklaus, Woods, and Sam Snead boast eighteen, fifteen, and seven, respectively, does make it a bit hard, if not impossible, at the moment to dub him as being part of the elite list. But it’s not as if he may never be one of the four names.

Can Scheffler make it to the list?

At just 28 years of age, the golfer from New Jersey has achieved a lot of accolades, including a whopping career earnings of $71,793,586 until the 2024 TOUR Championship. He has, as a result, made it to the third place on the PGA Tour’s Career Earnings List, only behind the likes of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, both with a sum of $120,999,166 and $90,989,348, respectively.

If Scottie Scheffler is to continue the momentum and gameplay he has displayed this season in the coming years as well, then there is a high chance will be able to enter the Hall of Fame as well. To make it into the same, aside from the vote required to select the pro and the age, he will have to win 15 times on one of the many circuits (PGA Tour, DP World Tour, Japan Golf Tour, Sunshine Tour, Asian Tour, and PGA of Australasia). Or… He can just emerge victorious at least two times among the following events; the four majors and the PLAYERS Championship.

With how the golfer is advancing at the moment, unperturbed by any other factors, Scheffler can make it into the Mount Rushmore of Golf. But then again, it is but a subjective list that varies among the enthusiasts of the sport. Nevertheless, only time will be able to tell us if the American golfer has what it takes!