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Viktor Hovland played the best golf of his life in the final two weeks of the PGA TOUR season, and it paid off Sunday with the biggest trophy of his career -- a FedExCup title along with the $18 million bonus.

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PGA Tour Champions History: How It’s Changed Over The Years

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Table of Contents

The PGA Tour Champions history dates back to 1980 when the governing body formed the Senior PGA Tour.

Although it was formed in 1980, the 1978 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf championship paved the way for the Tour. The popularity of the event highlighted a demand for fans to see their legends play beyond their retirement age.

Golf historians will want to read on to educate yourself on the evolution of the PGA Tour Champions from its formation to its current structure with the Charles Schwab Cup.

Overview of the PGA Tour Champions History

1937 – inaugural senior pga championship.

The inaugural Senior PGA Championship teed off in December 1937, becoming the only competitive event for golfers over 50. Augusta National played host to the first two editions of the event before organizers moved further south to Sarasota to avoid rain delays experienced in Georgia.

Although the official formation of the PGA Tour Champions was still five decades out, this event got the wheels turning.

1978 – Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf Success

In 1978, the first Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf tournament teed off at Onion Creek Country in the City of the Violet Crown, Austin, Texas. The event saw legends joining forces in two ball teams and battling it out against a field of golf royalty featuring Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer , and Lee Trevino.

The success of the event among fans and players alike was the push needed to form the Senior PGA Tour.

1980 – Senior PGA Tour Established

Following the success of the Legends of Golf Tournament, the Senior PGA Tour was officially formed in 1980. The 1967 PGA Championship winner, Don January, topped the money list in the inaugural year, a feat he would repeat twice more, back to back in 1983 and 1984.

Miller Barber won in 1981 and 1982, making him and January the dominant forces in the early years of the Tour.

1990 – Charles Schwab Cup Formation

The Senior PGA Tour saw its first grand evolution in 1990 when it created the Charles Schwab Cup. Originally, the event was the New York Life Champions tournament before rebranding to the PGA Senior Championship, with numerous title sponsors from 1992 to 2002.

In 2003, Charles Schwab took over as title sponsor, and the final event of the season became the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. 

From its inception in 1990 until 2015, the top 30 on the money list for the season earned an invite to a no-cut final event. However, the tour officials changed tactics in 2016 and opted for a FedEx Cup-style three-tournament playoff. 

The Playoffs Structure

The top 72 players on the money list gain entry to the playoffs. The Dominion Energy Charity Classic is first up, where the top 54 players qualify for the Simmons Bank Championship. After round two of the playoffs, the best 36 players move on to battle it out for the Charles Schwab Cup.

Despite the similarities to the FedEx Cup, the points system differs. The winner of the Charles Schwab Cup will not necessarily top the money list. For example, Padraig Harrington won the Cup in 2022, but Steve Alker topped the money list.

2002 – PGA Champions Tour Name Change

The Tour body decided to switch the tour name to a more deserving title that honored the work of its members. After carrying the name of the Senior PGA Tour for 22 years, it changed to the Champions Tour post-October 2002 and kept the brand until changing it once more in 2015.

2015 – PGA Tour Champions Name Change

Operating for 13 years under the PGA Champions Tour had seen significant growth in tournaments and prize money. However, it was decided to rebrand for the third time in the Tour’s history, this time changing to the PGA Tour Champions, which is how it remains at the time of writing this.

PGA Champions Tour All-Time Money List

Bernhard Langer has earned more than any other golfer on the PGA Tour Champions, amassing over 35 million dollars. This is significantly more than the second-placed Hale Irwin. There is a wide gap between Irwin and third-place Gil Morgan, who won over 20 million dollars in his career.

Here is a breakdown of the top 10 earners of all time on the Seniors Tour.

PGA Tour Champions Fun Facts 2024

What famous golfer never played in the senior tour.

LIV Golf CEO and two-time Major Champion Greg Norman has never played on the PGA Senior Tour, even though he is eligible. He saw the PGA Tour Champions as “ceremonial golf” and, after competing fiercely for decades, felt it did not offer the competitive edge of the main tours.

Did any golfers ever succeed on the Champions Tour without playing in the PGA Tour?

Yes, Mike Goodes succeeded on the Champions Tour without playing on the PGA Tour. In fact, Goodes only went pro when he turned 50. He has featured 282 times on the PGA Tour Champions and conjured up $6,234,722 in career earnings. Plus, he won the 2009 Allianz Championship.

Who played in the PGA tour and didn’t stand out until the Tour Champions?

Steven Alker played on the PGA Tour in 2003 but failed to retain his card. Since joining the PGA Tour Champions in 2021, the Kiwi has played in 38 events, won 6 times, finished 2nd on seven occasions, and 3rd six times. Therefore, he has finished in the top 3 in 21 of 38 outings.

How do you qualify for the PGA Tour Champions?

Professionals can qualify for the PGA Tour Champions through past wins on the PGA Tour. Alternatively, a top 5 finish at the previous season’s PGA Tour Champions National Qualifying tournament will get you on the tour for the year.

PGA Tour veterans can qualify if they have earned 5 PGA Tour points in their career. A single point is assigned for winning a regular tournament, while a Major counts for 3 points.

Besides becoming a full-time tour member, golfers can qualify for individual events by carding one of the four lowest scores for that week. In addition, there are sponsor exemptions and tournament invitations awarded occasionally.

Popular qualifying methods:

• Top 54 on the money list the previous year
• 5 PGA Tour points (Tournament victory = 1, Major = 3)
• 5 PGA Tour champions points (Tournament victory = 1, Major = 2)
• Top 10 players on the all-time money list
• Top 5 players from PGA Tour Champions National Qualifying 
• Invitation by organizers or players

F requently Asked Questions

Who has the most wins in champions tour history.

Bernhard Langer has 46 Champions Tour wins, which is the most in the history of the tour. He overtook Hale Irwin when he won the 2023 U.S. Senior Open.

What is the difference between the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions?

The PGA Tour consists of golfers under 50, while the PGA Tour Champions is for golfers over 50.

How much money has Bernhard Langer made on the Champions Tour?

Bernhard Langer has made $35,989,514 on the Champions Tour since joining in 2007. He is the highest earner of all-time on the PGA Tour Champions ahead of Hale Irwin with $27,158,515.

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Matt Callcott-Stevens has lived and breathed golf since he was four. As a junior, he played competitively, until he discovered his talents were better suited to writing about the game. Matt holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing through the Johan Cruyff Institute in Barcelona and has provided golf game improvement tips to seniors and the average golfer for seven years.

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Pga tour champions charles schwab cup playoffs explained: format, tournaments, money and the $1 million annuity, share this article.

And down the stretch they come.

After combining the 2020 and 2021 seasons, the PGA Tour Champions 39-event “super season” has reached the playoffs, with the Charles Schwab Cup Championship capping the postseason.

The Schwab tournament a year ago, which was won by Kevin Sutherland after a nine-hole playoff, didn’t crown a season champion. Because of the COVID pandemic and ensuing schedule shakeup, the senior circuit made the decision to combine the 2020 and ’21 points race into one jumbo affair.

The Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs are similar to the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Championship in that it consists of three events and uses the first two to whittle the field down at subsequent tournaments. Unlike the FedEx Cup, where the Tour Championship winner is the FedEx Cup champion, there’s a chance one golfer wins the Charles Schwab Cup Championship but a different golfer wins the season-long Charles Schwab Cup points race.

The playoff events

The playoffs consist of three tournaments:

• Dominion Energy Charity Classic at the Country Club of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia, Oct. 22-24
• TimberTech Championship at the Old Course at Broken Sound in Boca Raton, Florida, Nov. 5-7
• Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Phoenix Country Club in Phoenix, Nov. 11-14

The formats

The Dominion is a 54-hole event with 72 golfers from which the top-54 golfers advance to the 54-hole TimberTech Championship. From there, the top 36 advance to Phoenix Country Club, which puts a bow on the season with a 72-hole tournament. There are no cuts at any of the three events.

Eligibility

Players have been working on making the playoffs over the course of the last two years. Eligibility is based on their positions on the Charles Schwab Cup Money List, which converts money to points .

Bubble boys

Monday qualifier Thongchai Jaidee started the week in the No. 82 spot, well outside the playoff race, but after he poured in a 10-footer for birdie on 18 for a 69, he finished tied for fifth, and that vaulted him into the 72nd and final spot.

PGA Tour Champions : Playoff points standings

Davis Love III also played his way into the playoffs. He started the week No. 75 but finished tied for 20th, which moved him up to No. 71.

Just missing out: Corey Pavin (73), Larry Mize (74) and Jesper Parnevik (75).

At the top end, Bernhard Langer is No. 1, followed by Jim Furyk, Jerry Kelly, Miguel Angel Jiménez, Ernie Els and Kevin Sutherland.

The Dominion and TimberTech will each pay out $300,000 to their winners. At the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, $440,000 will go to winner out of a purse totaling $2.5 million.

The season-long Schwab points winner, meanwhile, will earn a $1 million annuity, to be paid out over 10 years. A total of $2.1 million in annuity bonus money will go to the top-five finishers of the points race, with the second-place finisher earning an annuity of $500,000; third-place, $300,000; fourth-place, $200,000; and fifth-place, $100,000.

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Tour Championship

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Template:For2 Template:Infobox golf tournament Template:Location map The Tour Championship (stylized as the TOUR Championship ) is a golf tournament that is part of the PGA Tour . It has historically been one of the final events of the PGA Tour season; prior to 2007 , its field consisted exclusively of the top 30 money leaders of the past PGA Tour season.

Since 2007, it has been the final event of the four-tournament FedEx Cup playoff, with eligibility determined by FedEx Cup points accumulated throughout the season. While originally followed by the PGA Tour Fall Series (for those competing for qualifying exemptions in the following season), a re-alignment of the PGA Tour's season schedule in 2013 made the Tour Championship the final event of the season.

From 1987 to 1996 , several courses hosted the event. Beginning in 1997 , the event alternated between Champions Golf Club in Houston and East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta ; since 2004 , East Lake has been the event's permanent home.

• 1 Format: 1987–2006
• 2 Format: 2007–2018
• 3 Format: 2019
• 4 Calamity Jane trophy
• 5 Winner's exemption reward
• 6 Tournament hosts
• 8 2018 Tournament purse
• 9 References
• 10 External links

Format: 1987–2006 [ ]

From its debut in 1987 through 2006 , the top 30 money winners on the PGA Tour after the penultimate event qualified for the event. It took place in early November, the week after the comparable event in Europe, the Volvo Masters , which allowed players who are members of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour to play in both end of season events. After the Tour Championship, the money list for the season was finalized. There were, and still are, a number of additional events between the Tour Championship and Christmas which are recognized by the PGA Tour, but prize money won in them is unofficial. Also, because this tournament's field is not as large as other golf tournaments, there is no 36-hole cut; all players who start the event are credited with making the cut and receive some prize money.

Format: 2007–2018 [ ]

Brandt Snedeker winning in 2012

Jordan Spieth and Henrik Stenson on the 17th green in 2015

Rory McIlroy during practice rounds in 2015

In 2007 , the Tour Championship moved from November to mid-September, where it ends a four-tournament "Chase for the FedEx Cup" . As in past years, 30 players qualify for the event, but the basis for qualification is no longer prize money. Instead, FedEx Cup points accumulated during the regular PGA Tour season and then during the three preceding playoff events determine the participants. Beginning in 2009, the assignment and awarding of points assures that any of the top five FedEx Cup point leaders entering The Tour Championship who wins, will also win the FedEx Cup. It still remains possible, however, for one player to win the Tour Championship and another player to win the FedEx Cup. In 2007, Tiger Woods won both the 2007 Tour Championship and the inaugural FedEx Cup. In 2008, The Tour Championship was won by Camilo Villegas , while Vijay Singh won the FedEx Cup. In 2009, Phil Mickelson won The Tour Championship, while Tiger Woods won the FedEx Cup. In 2018, Tiger Woods won the 2018 Tour Championship, while the FedEx Cup was won by Justin Rose .

2007 was also the inaugural year for the Tour's Fall Series , which determined the rest of the top 125 players eligible for the following year's FedEx Cup, which made the event no longer the final tournament of the season. However, starting in 2013, the Tour Championship was the end of the PGA Tour season; seasons will now begin in October of the previous calendar year. [1] Since 2007, those who qualified for the Tour Championship earned a Masters Tournament invitation.

Hole 18 at East Lake Golf Club is a par 3, which has been criticized as lacking drama for fans. The PGA Tour announced in 2016 that it would be reversing the nines at East Lake for the Tour Championship so that play would finish on a more exciting par 5 hole.

Format: 2019 [ ]

Beginning in 2019, the tournament will adopt a new format so that its winner will also be the FedEx Cup champion. Rather than FedEx Cup points being reset for each qualifying player based on seeding, the tournament will begin with the #1 overall seed starting at 10 under par. The second seed will start at −8, the third seed at −7, and so on down to the fifth seed at −5. Seeds 6–10 will begin at −4; seeds 11–15 will begin at −3; and so on, down to seeds 26–30 who will start at even par. [2] [3]

Calamity Jane trophy [ ]

The Calamity Jane is a sterling silver commemorative putter given to the winner of the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club. The putter is an exact replica of Bobby Jones ' original putter. [4] The putter/trophy has been given to the winner of the Tour Championship since 2005 and each winner before that year was retroactively given one. [5]

Winner's exemption reward [ ]

Since 1998 (according to the 1999 PGA Tour Media Guide), the Tour Championship winner, if not already exempt by other means, receives a 3-year PGA Tour exemption (Category-5)

Tournament hosts [ ]

Winners [ ], 2018 tournament purse [ ].

Breakdown of the $ 9,000,000 purse for the 2018 Tour Championship

Prizes shown below were awarded to the top 30 finishers in the Tour Championship itself. See also: FedEx Cup bonus pool payouts

References [ ]

• ↑ " PGA Tour announces changes ", ESPN.com , March 21, 2012. Retrieved on March 23, 2012.  
• ↑ " PGA Tour making extreme changes to Tour Championship, FedEx Cup format in 2019 ", CBS Sports .  
• ↑ McAllister, Mike (September 18, 2018). Simplicity the key with changes to FedExCup Playoffs finale . PGA Tour.
• ↑ Awards . East Lake Golf Club.
• ↑ Calamity Jane Replica . PGA Tour.

External links [ ]

• Coverage on the PGA Tour's official site
• Tour Championship Overview and Past Results - Includes past winners and runners-up of tournament from 1987 to 2010
• East Lake Golf Club official site
• The FedEx Cup home page on the PGA Tour's official site

Template:FedEx Cup Playoffs Template:PGA Tour Events Template:Coord

• 1 Rory McIlroy

What is the TOUR Championship?

The TOUR Championship is the grand finale of the FedExCup Playoffs.

More about the Tour Championship

The top 30 players in the FedExCup standings following the BMW Championship will advance to the TOUR Championship.

The final leaderboard will represent the final FedExCup standings for the top 30 players.

The FedExCup leaders will begin the event with a head start on the competition.

The player with the most FedEx Cup points leading into the tournament starts at 10 under par.

The player with the second most points starts at −8, the third at −7, and so on down to the fifth at −5. Players ranked 6 through 10 begin at −4; 11 through 15 at −3; and so on, down to numbers 26 to 30 who will start at even par.

The player who finishes the four rounds with the lowest score in relation to par will win the FedExCup.

Patrick Cantlay earned $15 million in prize money with his win at the 2021 Tour Championship .

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What is the PGA Tour Champions?

Learn the similarities and differences between the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions

• DESCRIPTION Bernhard Langer, the champions tour money leader
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The PGA Tour Champions, commonly known as the Champions Tour, is the PGA Tour's professional senior tour, where the best golfers aged 50 and above compete.

Champions Tour Qualifying

In general, qualifying for PGA Tour Champions events is restricted to those players who finished in the top 50 of last year's competition and those age eligible players who are in the top 70 of the all-time money list from PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions events.

In addition, exemptions are given to members of the World Golf Hall of Fame and winners of previous PGA Tour Champions events. As with PGA Tour events, sponsors are also allowed to bring a small number of golfer's into a given event.

A select number of spots in Champions Tour events are also up for grabs each week through Monday qualifying , similar to other professional tours.

History of the Champions Tour

While senior golf tournaments, like the Senior PGA Championship, have been around since 1937, a formal PGA Tour for seniors was not established until 1980. Don January and Arnold Palmer were the tour’s first two winners.

The idea for a senior tour grew out of the highly successful 1978 Legends of Golf tournament at Onion Creek Club in Austin, Texas. The event featured competition from some of the greatest senior golfers at the time who competed in teams of two.

From 1980 until 2002, the tour was known as the Senior PGA Tour before transitioning to the Champions Tour until the latest name change to PGA Tour Champions in 2016.

A typical seasons on the Champions Tour consists of 26 events, mostly in the United States.

PGA Tour & Champions Tour Differences

While sharing many similarities with the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour Champions has several differences.

One difference is the allowance of golf carts at some events. Most of the events take place over three rounds  with 54 holes and no cut instead of four rounds totalling 72 holes with a 36-hole cut on the PGA Tour.

While there are seldom cuts in the PGA Tour Champions events, three of the five senior majors play a standard four-round, 72 hole tournament with a 36-hole cut.

Senior Majors

Just like the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour Champions has its own series of major championships. The senior majors include The Tradition, the Senior PGA Championship, the Senior Players Championship, the U.S. Senior Open, and The Senior Open Championship.

Charles Schwab Cup

Each year, the tour ends in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, the final tournament in a three-tournament play-off series mirrored after the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup.

The Charles Schwab Cup began in 1990 and took its current format in 2016, when the tour moved to a playoff format, and the top 72 players on the money list automatically qualify for the first playoff event.

There is also a Wildcard Weekend the week prior to the playoffs at the SAS Championship which allows for one player who finishes in the top 10 that week, but is outside the money list’s top 72, to advance to the playoffs.

The first playoff event is the Dominion Energy Charity Classic event at Richmond’s Country Club of Virginia James River Course. The second event is the Simmons Bank Championship at Pleasant Valley CC in Little Rock Arkansas, and the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, the final event, takes place at Phoenix Country Club in Phoenix, Arizona.

Champions Tour All-Time Money List

Since the PGA Tour Champions inception in 1980, the circuit continues to grow. Lee Trevino became the first senior tour winner to win $1 million in 1990.

Hale Irwin is the winningest golfer in Champions history with 45 victories, but isn’t at the top of the all-time money winner list. There have been six golfers to surpass the $15 million mark, three have surpassed the $20 million and one player, Bernhard Langer, has made more than $30 million dollars.

As of the finish of the 2023 season, here are the top 10 PGA Tour of Champions All-time Money winners.

Image: Quinn Harris/Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

ABOUT PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

Contested each May, the PGA Championship is the second major championship in golf’s annual rotation, and perennially features the strongest field in the men's game based on the Official World Golf Rankings. Known for dramatic finishes and notable champions, the Wanamaker Trophy—which has been awarded to the winner since 1916—is inscribed with names such as Koepka, McIlroy, Woods, Mickelson, Nicklaus, and Player.

As the only major championship for professionals, and by professionals, the PGA Championship boldly influences the future of our sport, inspiring the golfer in all of us by challenging golf’s premier athletes and showcasing the PGA Professionals who are the backbone of the game.

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Get to know Scottie

15 things you might not know about Scottie Scheffler

We witnessed another masterclass from Scottie Scheffler in securing a four-shot victory at Augusta National and a second Masters title. It was yet another machine-like performance from the 27-year-old, who entered the 2024 Masters as the heavy favorite and got it done—the first time since 2005 that the tournament favorite won the Masters. We were reminded of an awkward exchange in the media room ahead of the 2022 Masters, in which a European reporter stumbled over a question in which he asked Scottie Scheffler: "I’ve been asked a lot, like, what are you like? … I have no idea other than you being a very, very good golfer.”

Scheffler politely laughed off the question that day, recommending the reporter ask his wife. We've gotten to know Scottie a decent bit since 2022, as he has amassed nine PGA Tour wins and now two Masters. But you still might not know too much about him off the course.

Allow us to tell you all about golf’s superstar.

RELATED:  Who's Scottie Scheffler's caddie? 9 things you might not know about Ted Scott

1. Scottie Scheffler grew up in Texas but lived in northern New Jersey until he was 6 years old.

Though he's grown up in Texas most of his life, he's got strong Jersey roots. His mother, Diane, was high school classmates of the late actor James Gandolfini at Park Ridge High School. His father, Scott, attended St. Cecilia’s High School in Englewood, N.J. (where the legendary football coach Vince Lombardi was a gym teacher).

When Diane got a job as a COO of a law firm in Dallas, the Schefflers moved.

The new Masters champion recalled hitting shots in his backyard when asked about his Jersey upbringing during Masters Week. Scheffler called himself a Bruce Springsteen fan thanks to his Jersey roots.

Scottie Scheffler, photographed on Beale Street in Memphis for a 2014 article with Golf Digest.

2. The Schefflers borrowed money to join Royal Oaks Country Club in Dallas, mostly so that Scottie had a place to practice. He began working with his swing coach, Randy Smith, at age 6.

A young Scottie Scheffler—still wearing a Nike golf shirt—shown with his instructor Randy Smith.

Courtesy of the Schefflers

Scheffler is still a member at Royal Oaks and plays most of his golf there while he's home. 

Smith, a mainstay on Golf Digest’s 50 Best Teachers ranking and coach to Justin Leonard, Colt Knost, Harrison Frazar and other tour pros through the years,  recalls meeting Scheffler when he was “no more than 3-foot tall.”

“I walked down, his parents were there and they introduced him,” Smith recalls, “and he took his hat off, shook my hand, then went back to hitting balls.”

RELATED:  Masters 2024: Why do Scottie Scheffler's feet move like that during his golf swing?

Scheffler grew up dreaming of being able to hit on the side of the Royal Oaks range where the tour pros practiced. Now he does … watch the video below as we explore Scheffler’s life at home in a recent video.

Watch below:

3. Up until high school, Scheffler played many sports, including lacrosse, basketball, baseball and football.

Scheffler was short for his age until he hit a growth spurt his sophomore year of high school. He still loves basketball—telling Golf Digest in 2014 that it's his favorite sport to watch on TV—and while shooting around, he once hit 30 3-pointers in a row.

He always knew, though, that golf was his sport. As he told our Keely Levins in 2018: "In high school, I narrowed it down to just basketball and golf. My whole life, I knew how much I loved golf. It was the one sport I always wanted to be playing, regardless of the season."

4. Scheffler attended Highland Park High School in Dallas, the same high school where Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw and L.A. Rams quarterback Matt Stafford went (though Scheffler is younger than them).

Scheffler’s first PGA Tour win came on Super Bowl Sunday at the WM Phoenix Open—the same day when Stafford won his career-changing Super Bowl with the Rams.

5. In high school, Scheffler started dating his wife, Meredith, and they’ve been together ever since. 

Adam Glanzman

Meredith was new to Highland Park her sophomore year, and recalls sitting next to Scottie in a math class. They started dating as seniors.

In the above "At Home" video we did with the Schefflers, Scottie calls Meredith his best friend. And she has clearly been a huge influence on him.

Ahead of the final round of the 2022 Masters, Scottie admitted that he was "crying like a baby" on Sunday morning, unsure if he could handle the pressure. It was Meredith who assured him to be himself and trust the game that got him in that position.

6. Meredith missed Scheffler's 2024 Masters victory, as the due date for the Schefflers' first child was a few weeks after the tournament.

Scottie  shared a house with his buddy Sam Burns, whose wife was also expecting , during the 2024 Masters.

7. He won the U.S. Junior Amateur and earned an invitation to play in his first PGA Tour event at age 17.

Among many amateur accomplishments, this was the biggest. Scheffler defeated current PGA Tour player Davis Riley, 3 and 2, at Martis Camp in Truckee, Calif.

8. In his first PGA Tour event as an amateur, he made a hole-in-one.

Scottie Scheffler celebrates the ace with his sister, Callie, who Scottie says convinced him to hit a 5-iron instead of the 4-iron that he first chose.

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With the U.S. Junior Amateur title, he received an exemption into the 2014 Byron Nelson Championship. The Dallas native made the cut at the 2014 Byron Nelson Championship—then aced the 221-yard second hole with a 5-iron. He carded three rounds in the 60s and finished T-22.

An esteemed collegiate career at the University of Texas then set expectations high for Scheffler as he turned pro.

Scheffler won national Freshman of the Year honors after winning back-to-back events (the Big 12 Championship and Western Intercollegiate) and was named to the 2017 Ben Hogan award watch list.

9. When he won the 2022 Masters, Scheffler still drove the same car he had in college, a Chevy Suburban with more than 175,000 miles on it.

Scheffler’s father handed his old car to Scottie while he was in college. Scottie was still driving the car when he won the 2022 Masters, we'd guess he has splurged on a number of new rides with the more than $54 million in on-course earnings he's accumulated in his young PGA Tour career.

RELATED:  Masters 2024: The clubs Scottie Scheffler used to win at Augusta National

10. Scheffler represented the U.S. at the 2017 Walker Cup, as a part of a star-studded squad.

The team, which consisted of current PGA Tour pros Collin Morikawa, Will Zalatoris, Maverick McNealy, Cameron Champ, Doug Ghim and Doc Redman, crushed the GB&I side, 19-7, at Los Angeles Country Club.

RELATED:  The famous JT-Spieth childhood photo has been supplanted by this Will Zalatoris-Scottie Scheffler pic

11. At the 2020 Northern Trust, Scheffler shot a 59 in the second round.

Scottie Scheffler holds up his golf ball after shooting a 59 during the second round of The Northern Trust at TPC Boston.

He became the 12th player to card a sub-60 round on the PGA Tour—and was the second youngest to do so.

RELATED:  Masters 2024: Tiger Woods shares touching final handshake with Verne Lundquist on 16th hole

12. Major championship success came early for Scheffler—even as an amateur.

He was the first-round leader at the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont as a 19-year-old college sophomore, where his sister, Callie, caddied for him. (She played golf at Texas A&M University.) Scheffler said that week: “I’m glad she was able to get the week off to come help me out. She’s a week into an internship, and she’s already asking for a week off. Hopefully she doesn’t get in trouble.”

Scheffler would also finish as low amateur at the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills (below).

David Cannon

The Texan's victory at the 2024 Masters gave him 10 top-10 finishes (including his two Masters titles) in just 18 major starts. His other close calls include the 2020 PGA at Harding Park, the 2022 U.S. Open (T-2, dueling with Matt Fitzpatrick on Sunday), the '23 PGA (T-2) and third at the '23 U.S. Open.

13. Scheffler's stretch over the past two years might be the best since peak-Tiger Woods in 2000.

Data Golf has assessed the best stretches of golf of all time according to strokes gained and its proprietary data, and ahead of the 2024 Masters, they called Scheffler's stretch the fourth-best, behind Tiger in 2000, David Duval in 1999 and Vijay Singh in 2004. 

Now with his 2024 Masters performance, it's easy to argue that Scheffler is the best player post-Tiger.

14. In winning the 2022 Masters, Scheffler joined Ian Woosnam as the only players to win the Masters in their next start after becoming World No. 1.

Scheffler also joined Woosnam, Fred Couples, Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson as the only players to win the Masters while being World No. 1.

15. With first-place winnings of $3.6 million, Scheffler has now made more than $57.5 million in his career—which places him 12th on the all-time PGA Tour career earnings list.

Of course, those are just on-course earnings. Endorsement opportunities will continue to come for Scheffler, who's the sport's biggest star outside of Tiger Woods.

RELATED:  Masters 2024: Low amateur's press conference ends with super awkward exchange regarding Tiger Woods

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World Champions Cup

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World Champions Cup set to debut Dec. 7-10 at The Concession Golf Club

Bringing major champions, Hall of Famers and legends of the game together for a first-of-its-kind international team golf competition

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Officially sanctioned by PGA TOUR Champions and airing on ABC and ESPN, the inaugural World Champions Cup will feature captains Ernie Els, Jim Furyk and Darren Clarke leading Team International, Team USA and Team Europe in a new annual event that will renew some of golf’s most storied rivalries

BRADENTON, Fla. – Golf’s global stage will soon add a new legacy event featuring many of the game’s most accomplished players, as sports media and marketing firm Intersport announced the location and dates for the debut of the World Champions Cup, a first-of-its-kind international team golf competition.

The inaugural World Champions Cup will be contested Dec. 7-10 at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida.

Inspired by the passion and tradition of the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, the World Champions Cup is officially sanctioned by PGA TOUR Champions and is set to air on ABC and ESPN. The World Champions Cup will feature Team International, Team USA and Team Europe squaring off over three days of competition that will renew some of the game’s most storied rivalries as the teams battle for international pride and global bragging rights.

World Golf Hall of Famer Ernie Els, 2003 U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk and 2011 Open Championship winner Darren Clarke will each serve as playing captains for their respective teams of six competitors, all aged 50 and older and members of the PGA TOUR Champions, in the first playing of the World Champions Cup. Seven-time PGA TOUR winner and popular golf commentator Peter Jacobsen will serve as Chairman of the inaugural event.

“The World Champions Cup is a tremendous addition to the game of golf and the PGA TOUR Champions schedule,” said Miller Brady, President of PGA TOUR Champions. “This competition will give fans a new and unique opportunity to see the game’s greatest stars compete against one another on a global stage. Ernie, Jim and Darren are worldwide ambassadors for golf, and it will be thrilling to watch them and their teammates compete for the chance to win the inaugural World Champions Cup.”

The World Champions Cup is an annual three-team, three-day match play competition that will be contested across nine-hole matches featuring team formats and singles play, with points being earned for each hole won in each of the event’s 24 matches. The team with the highest point total across all matches will be crowned the champion.

Each of the teams competing in the World Champions Cup will consist of six players, including the playing captains, and all will be active PGA TOUR Champions members. Automatic invitations for each team will be extended to the top two point-earners in the WCC’s career-based rankings, with two additional positions going to Chairman’s picks. The final spots for Team USA, Team Europe and Team International will be play-in positions based on the year-end Charles Schwab Cup standings.

“This is a thrilling day for golf fans around the world. The World Champions Cup will become the fourth global ‘Team Major’ on the worldwide golf calendar, joining the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup and Solheim Cup as one of the game’s most prestigious legacy events,” said Charles N. Besser, Chairman and CEO of Intersport. “The Intersport team has worked tirelessly to create, refine and launch this competition, and we are excited for fans of the game to be able to experience it for years to come. The World Champions Cup embodies Intersport’s core of creating events that last decades and providing one-of-a-kind experiences for fans. We’re looking forward to bringing golf’s greatest rivalries to a global stage this December.”

The Concession Golf Club was named the Best New Private Course in America by Golf Digest in 2006. The seed of what would become The Concession Golf Club was planted in 1969, with Jack Nicklaus’ famous gesture of conceding the final putt in the Ryder Cup to Tony Jacklin, clinching the first tie in the competition’s history. Decades later, the two golf legends paired up to design and create The Concession Golf Club — a championship, privately-owned golf facility with no houses lining the course. The course has hosted the PGA TOUR’s 2021 World Golf Championships-Workday Championship at The Concession, the 2015 men’s and women’s NCAA Division I championships and the biennial Concession Cup.

“The Concession Golf Club is thrilled to host this legacy-defining, global team competition,” said Bruce Cassidy, President of The Concession Golf Club. “The entire Concession membership, staff and I look forward to welcoming the PGA TOUR Champions, Intersport and World Champion Cup teams and families and cementing this event as a staple in golf’s ecosystem for years to come.”

This event will add to the rich tradition of professional golf in the Sarasota/Bradenton area, which includes the PGA TOUR Champions' American Express Invitational (1996-2000) and the Korn Ferry Tour’s LECOM Suncoast Classic, being contested this week in Lakewood Ranch for the fifth consecutive year.

ABC and ESPN will serve as the exclusive television homes of the World Champions Cup. Coverage will air Thursday, Dec. 7, and Friday, Dec. 8, as well as Sunday, Dec. 10, with more details to be confirmed at a later date. The event will also feature a unique pro-am on Saturday, Dec. 9.

Els, a South African native, will captain Team International. The four-time major champion and former World No. 1 was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011. Els touts an impressive resume that includes 19 PGA TOUR victories, three PGA TOUR Champions trophies and 47 international wins. The most significant of his wins are his two U.S. Open titles (1994 and 1997) and his two wins a full decade apart at The Open (2002, 2012). The Big Easy has been a member of eight Presidents Cup teams and captained the International squad in 2019.

“International team competitions are some of the fondest memories I have from my golfing career,” Els said. “I’ve had the pleasure of competing in golf’s biggest events around the world throughout my career and embrace my position as an ambassador in continuing to grow the game for fans everywhere. It’s a privilege to be named the captain of Team International for the inaugural World Champions Cup, and I look forward to competing along my teammates this December.”

Furyk will captain Team USA. During his career, Furyk has represented Team USA in seven Presidents Cups, nine Ryder Cups and served as a Ryder Cup captain in 2018. He is a 17-time winner on the PGA TOUR, highlighted by winning the 2003 U.S. Open, and is a three-time winner on PGA TOUR Champions – including the 2021 U.S. Senior Open. Furyk reached a career-high world ranking of second in 2006 and spent 440 weeks ranked in the top 10 from 1999 – 2016. Furyk is also the owner of the lowest round in PGA TOUR history, having shot 58 in the fourth round of the Travelers Championship in 2016.

“I am honored to lead Team USA onto the global stage that the World Champions Cup represents.” Furyk said. “It has been such a treat being part of Team USA at different stages throughout my career. I look forward to having the chance to captain Team USA and compete against Ernie and Darren, with whom I walked fairways for more than 20 years.”

Hailing from Dungannon, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, Clarke will captain Team Europe. He is most famous for his 2011 victory at The Open at Royal St. George’s, where he finished three strokes clear of the field. In 2022 Clarke became the fourth player in history to win both The Open Championship and The Senior Open Championship, defeating Pádraig Harrington by one shot at Gleneagles in Scotland. Clarke has played on five Ryder Cup teams and served as captain in 2016 for Team Europe. Clarke’s resume includes victories at two PGA TOUR World Golf Championships events and four PGA TOUR Champions events, as well as 15 international wins.

“I am overjoyed to represent Team Europe as captain for the inaugural playing of the World Champions Cup,” Clarke said. “I’ve been blessed to be a part of many team competitions all over the world and it is truly an honor to be selected as a captain along with Jim and Ernie, two of golf’s all-time great players. This is truly a first-of-its-kind global team competition and I cannot wait to compete this December.”

Jacobsen, the Chairman of the inaugural World Champions Cup, is a seven-time PGA TOUR winner, two-time PGA TOUR Champions winner and the 2004 U.S. Senior Open champion. A popular golf media personality for the past two decades, Jacobsen has established himself as one of the great ambassadors of golf.

“I have spent nearly all of my life playing, watching, talking and loving the game of golf,” Jacobsen said. “After nearly 40 years on the PGA TOUR, it is the honor of a lifetime to have the opportunity to represent something as significant as the World Champions Cup will one day be for golf.”