Scottie Scheffler has been a dominant force in the men’s game for the past four years, but is it possible that the world No. 1 player is showing signs of diminishing in his superpowers ahead of The Players?
It seems absurd to describe a player who has played in four majors in so many seasons and won 20 (yes, 20) times on the PGA Tour during that time as suffering a dip in form, but the statistics suggest he is not at his glorious best that we are accustomed to seeing week in and week out.
Scheffler remains the pre-tournament favorite to win The Players for the third time in four years, joining Jack Nicklaus as the tournament’s only three-time champions, despite a noticeable decline in his approach play in recent starts.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Appearing on the Sky Sports Golf podcast last month, Nick Doherty discussed why comparisons between Scottie Scheffler and Tiger Woods are warranted.
One reason Scheffler is often compared to Tiger Woods is his remarkable consistency, leading the PGA Tour in strokes gained and approach play in each of the past three seasons.
Scheffler continued to perform well in strokes gained off the tee, ranking third and second, respectively, heading into The Players, but his approach play stalled for the first time in several seasons.
After finishing tied for 24th at Sunday’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, Scheffler ranked 44th in the field for the week in strokes gained approach, his lowest finish on the PGA Tour in 13 months. This was the worst 72-hole event on the PGA Tour in the past four years.
Scheffler finished the week 13 strokes behind winner Akshay Bhatia, finishing outside the top 10 in back-to-back PGA Tour events for the first time in a year, and had plenty of work to do to join Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Thomas at TPC Sawgrass.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Highlights from Akshay Bhatia’s playoff win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational final round
“I think I saw some good things (in his game),” Scheffler said after Bay Hill. “We’ll see where I am, but overall I definitely saw some good things (prior to The Players).
“Stop complaining, Scotty!”
Scheffler won six Worlds last year and opened the 2026 season with a four-shot victory at the American Express, joining Nicklaus and Woods as the only players to win 20 PGA Tour titles, including four majors, before turning 30.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Highlights of the American Express final round at La Quinta Country Club in California, where Scotty Scheffler won his 20th PGA Tour title.
The world No. 1 bounced back from uncharacteristically slow starts at the WM Phoenix Open and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am to finish inside the top four in both, but his streak of 18 consecutive PGA Tour top 10s came to an end at the Genesis Invitational.
In Scheffler’s most recent start at Bay Hill, his scores gradually deteriorated with each round, opening with scores of 71, 72 and 73 for an opening-round 70, before ending the week with two bogeys on his final five holes.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Scotty Scheffler ends day two of the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a missed par putt, and the world No. 1-ranked Scheffler sends his ball into the lake.
“He’s been like that (frustrated) for quite some time,” Wayne ‘Radar’ Riley said on the Sky Sports Golf podcast. “I don’t know what’s going on with Scotty. He won at American Express, so I thought, ‘He’s going to hit the ground running and win a ton of games,’ and it just boiled over.”
“I’ve heard he has some bitches. On the golf course, you really never know what you’re going to get.
Subscribe now: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Spreaker
“When a new guy comes on tour, everything is nice. It’s like a big old box of chocolates. When you cruise over there, everything is just ‘dandy’ as we like to say over here. When you stay on tour a little longer, you start to see some things start to go wrong and you start to see the real character of the players.
“He’s complaining right now because things aren’t going his way. He’s only won like $100 million in the last three years? Stop complaining!”
Can Scottie Scheffler bring The Players their third championship?
Scheffler could fight back as McIlroy looks to defend.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see Scheffler silence any doubts and get back to winning ways at The Players. He has posted the highest cumulative score over the past five years and has ranked first in nearly every scoring metric for TPC Sawgrass over the past three tournaments.
Scheffler followed up his 2023 victory 12 months later by playing the final 31 holes without a bogey to close out the victory, making him the first player in history to defend the title.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Let’s take a look at how Scottie Scheffler overcame injury issues to defend his title at The Players 2024.
Rory McIlroy is looking to emulate Scheffler by winning last year’s tournament in a playoff and winning back-to-back championships, but the world No. 2 is still recovering from the back injury that forced him to withdraw from the tournament at Bay Hill over the weekend.
“Don’t worry. (McIlroy’s return) is absolutely fine,” Riley insisted. “There’s a couple like him (in terms of being blessed with injuries throughout his career), and Phil Mickelson was the same way. They just don’t get hurt.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Check out Rory McIlroy’s best shots from his 2025 win at The Players ahead of his title defense at TPC Sawgrass.
“Rory lifts weights and he’s a pocket rocket. He’s a tough guy who works hard in the gym. It just takes a little while and it happens. By the end of the week, he’ll be ready.”
A total of 47 of the world’s top 50 players will be competing at The Players, with the FedEx Cup leader aiming for his first victory, Tommy Fleetwood aiming to become the first British player to win the tournament and Brooks Koepka returning for the first time in five years.
“It’s a great place,” Riley added of The Players. “They say it’s the fifth major, but I’m not sure about that. The Players is basically the fifth major already. So why would they want it when they already have it?”
“It’s a great championship. The weather is always perfect, the golf course is great, and the amphitheater at No. 17 doesn’t disappoint. I don’t think The Players is a major, but it’s just as big.”
Hear Wayne ‘Radar’ Riley on the latest episode of the Sky Sports Golf podcast. He and Jamie Weir look back at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and preview The Players. There’s also an exclusive interview with PGA Tour player Ryan Gerrard.
When will The Players be broadcast live on Sky Sports?
Sky Sports Golf will once again be home to The Players, broadcasting over 40 hours of live golf over four days, with plenty of additional live programming during tournament week.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Ahead of the 2026 edition of The Players at TPC Sawgrass, take a look at all the televised hole-in-ones on the iconic 17th hole.
“Live from The Players” will bring you the latest news from TPC Sawgrass on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m., ahead of live coverage of the tournament starting Thursday.
Featured Groups, along with Featured Holes, will be available on Sky Sports+ throughout the week, and you’ll enjoy a bonus feed on top of the feed available each week during PGA Tour coverage.
Coverage begins at 11.30am on Thursdays and Fridays and at 1pm on weekends with Sky Sports Golf highlights and extra shows. Get and stream Sky Sports without a contract.
