The next Tiger Woods? History suggests Scottie Scheffler must do this to stake claim as all-time great

Scottie Scheffler is quickly creating a hall of fame career.

With the game of elite golf in more turmoil than ever before, Scheffler is now the standard-bearer for the PGA Tour and the man all others want to beat.

Scheffler claimed Masters glory in 2022Credit: GettyAll you need to know about The Masters as Rahm defends at AugustaThe 27-year-old has already added two more prestigious titles to his resume this year and is the red hot favourite heading to Augusta National.

Such is his dominance at the moment, the odds on a Scheffler victory this Sunday are lower than anything we’ve seen for years and are reaching almost Tiger Woods-levels of one-sidedness.

Scheffler is, of course, already the proud owner of a Green Jacket following his imperious victory in the 2022 Masters.

He claimed victory that week by three strokes, easing past a star-studded field to cement his place as the best around.

READ MORE ON GOLFWhile big titles have followed, Scheffler is curiously yet to add to his major haul, something that he will surely rectify this summer.

And adding another Masters trophy to his cabinet will be a good start as he continues to construct his claim of being the next all-time great.

Following his stunning back-to-backs wins at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players earlier this spring, Scheffler drew comparisons to the iconic Tiger.

Scheffler has been compared to the great Tiger Woods recentlyCredit: GettyHe was quick to bat away any such compliments but you can bet he’d love to honour that highest of accolades by emerging victorious again in Georgia.

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And perhaps he’ll need to if he is to be considered among the greats once he eventually hangs up his glove.

In the 87 years of this great tournament, 17 players have claimed the title a whopping 48 times combined.

Among those multiple-time champions are the true legends of the game and the roll call is quite something – Woods, Nicklaus, Palmer, Player, Nelson, Hogan, Ballesteros.

To say you’ve made it in golf, it would seem you have to claim at least TWO Green Jackets.

Scheffler has won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players already this yearCredit: GettyScheffler is more than capable of joining that list and few are looking elsewhere for the 2024 Masters champion.

On the inevitable comparisons with Woods following his recent victory at TPC Sawgrass, Scheffler said: “Any time you can be compared to Tiger is really special, but, I mean, the guy stands alone in our game. He really does.

“This is my eighth tournament win now out here, I’ve tied him in Players Championships. Outside of that, I have got 14 more majors and 70-some PGA Tour events to catch up.

“So I think I’m going to stick to my routine and just continue to plot along, try and stay as even-keeled as I can.”

That was a very Scottie Scheffler answer to such questions.

But those eight wins have all come at big events and have all come since February 2022.

The world number one only turns 28 years old in June and can rack up the victories for years to come.

Scheffler swings his own swing but it works. Just ask Butch Harmon, who has worked with the very best including Tiger himself as well as the likes of Greg Norman, Fred Couples, Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler.

Scheffler is the red hot favourite for Masters glory this yearCredit: GettySpeaking to talkSPORT on the eve of the tournament, Harmon said: “If you look at Scheffler’s swing and film in slow motion, at impact, he’s in perfect position.

“What you see with the feet is because of the momentum and the speed of his exit past impact and his follow-through is what pulls his feet, slides the back foot, spins the left foot out.

“But if you look at it at impact, in film, his footwork is perfect, which is the important position. It’s just that he goes at it very hard.

“And I have to admire his coach, Randy Smith, who’s a good friend of mine, who’s been Scottie’s coach ever since he was a teenager, that this is his golf swing, and they never changed that part of it.

“They just made what he does better. And right now he’s doing it better than anybody else in the world, that’s for sure.”

And so, as betting odds continue to be slashed on him winning again at The Masters this year, it seems he’s not far away from legendary status already.

The game of golf needs a superstar, someone for players to target and fans to unite behind.

Woods held that role for years during his pomp and now Scheffler is looking to take on the mantle.

The Masters: Betting with talkSPORT BETThe Masters Betting Odds:

Scottie Scheffler – 4/1

Rory McIlroy – 11/1

Jon Rahm – 12/1

Xander Schauffele – 18/1

Brooks Koepka – 20/1

Hideki Matsuyama – 20/1

Jordan Speith – 22/1

Ludvig Aberg – 28/1

Joaquin Neimann – 28/1