Scottie Scheffler absolutely ran away with the PGA Tour Player of the Year award in 2026. Seriously, if anyone was still trying to debate it, the facts are in, and it’s over. Scheffler put together a season so dominant that any conversation about who was the best felt as outdated as arguing the Earth was flat. The man was just on another level.
Scheffler’s Unstoppable Ride to the FedEx Cup
This wasn’t just about one big win for Scheffler, it was about consistency and pure dominance. He snatched two of the three postseason tournaments and hauled in the FedEx Cup trophy for the second time in the last three seasons. Yeah, you read that right. Two out of three years, he’s the king. He looked every bit the world No. 1, and the tour noticed. What’s wild, though, is how many times he almost won *more*. Scheffler landed in second place five times last season, including at the Masters. He finished runner-up to Matt Fitzpatrick, Cameron Young, Viktor Hovland, and even Jackson Koivun in short order. You’d think that would be frustrating, but it just shows how often he was right there at the top, battling for every title.
Major Shake-Ups and Rookie Surprises
While Scheffler was busy stacking up trophies and runner-up finishes, the major championships still brought their own drama. Cameron Young grabbed his biggest title yet at The Players Championship, thanks to a monster 375-yard drive on the 72nd hole. That’s the biggest in the Shotlink era, by the way, and he did it with a ball that conforms to future standards! Then came the Masters, where Rory McIlroy built the biggest 36-hole lead in history and went on to defend his crown, becoming only the fourth person ever to do it. Aaron Rai battled through Aronimink like a surgeon to hold off Jon Rahm at the PGA Championship, and Wyndham Clark did the same at the U.S. Open, with Sam Burns giving him a run for his money. Ryan Fox ended the major season with a flurry, raising the Claret Jug. And let’s not forget Jackson Koivun. This kid turned professional and immediately turned heads at the 3M Open, even keeping Scheffler at bay! That performance earned him a spot on Captain Brandt Snedeker’s U.S. Presidents Cup team, where he will team up with Scheffler.
So, while the individual awards are getting handed out, the next big thing is already on the horizon. Scheffler and Koivun will join forces with the rest of the U.S. team at Medinah in a couple of weeks to take on the International team. Can’t wait to see if that world No. 1 form translates to team gold.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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