The PGA Championship was lit ablaze for all the wrong reasons. The news was widespread in just seconds that the world’s #1 golfer was arrested on the morning of the second round of the PGA Championship because of a few misunderstandings. Scottie Scheffler had four charges as he spent an hour in jail, which were ultimately dropped. Nonetheless, people moved on. But Xander Schauffele’s victory in Valhalla was given an asterisk because of that.

Although winning the Open Championship proved to the critics that he was indeed one of the best players [not that he was never], And put the 2-time major winner against Scheffler for the year-ending PGA Tour Player of the Year. Who will win it between the two? No one knows, but police officer Bryan Gillis might be winning a few beverages from Schauffele.

Xander Schauffele jokes about Scottie Scheffler’s arrest and his major win

After winning the 152nd Open Championship, Xander Schauffele has been busy giving interviews here and there and everywhere. One such was with Pardon My Take and their host Dan ‘Bag Cat’ Katz and PFT Commenter. Schauffele was enjoying his time with the two as his Claret Jug was shining behind him.

The hosts jokingly asked him if he felt that the asterisk was off after winning at Royal Troon, and he felt like he received the stamp of approval. The 30-year-old laughed at the question and sarcastically replied, “Thanks for reminding me; I was meant to send a bottle of wine to that police officer.” 

The three were having fun as Schauffele satirically accepted that, despite his slow gameplay and bad style, winning the PGA Championship was indeed not a fluke. And coming to the Open Championship, Schauffele had a way better finish than Scheffler. He was crowned the winner while the world no. 1 struggled and made two double bogeys and one bogey to be T7 in the end.

As the Open Championship concluded, the debate about who might clinch Player of the Year got more heated. Who between the two has the upper hand at winning the PGA Tour members’ votes?

Xander Schauffele vs. Scottie Scheffler: Who will win Player of the Year?

Does winning two major championships surpass Scottie Scheffler’s dominant season? The world no. 1 has won six times in the 2024 season, including the Masters in April, four signature events, and the PLAYERS Championship two years in a row. On the other hand, Xander Schauffele has only two victories. Once at the PGA Championship and then at the Open Championship, the tag of ‘best player without a major’ was successfully removed from his name.

In the winning race, Scheffler has indeed surpassed Schauffele, but not in majors. Additionally, the 27-year-old has been leading many other stats lists too. He is first in strokes gained with 2.760 and also has 4.87 birdies made per round. On the other hand, Schauffele is second in stroke gained and 10th in birdie average.

Moreover, even the reigning Open winner agreed about Scheffler’s dominance at the PGA Tour and said, “All of us are climbing this massive mountain. At the top of the mountain is Scottie Scheffler. I won this today, but I’m still not close to Scottie in the big scheme of things.” So, even though Schauffele has gained two major victories in a year, Schauffele might still have an upper hand over the world. 2 in every other aspect. The chances are he would also win the POY in the end, and given Schauffele’s statement, he might not deny it either.