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PGA Championship: Scottie Scheffler is 18 holes from erasing the one very soft knock against him

The knock on Scottie Scheffler — and admittedly it’s more of a tap — is that he hasn’t won a major outside of the friendly confines of Augusta National. Twenty-one major appearances, two victories, both at the Masters.

But dig deeper and you’ll see … he’s been a contender at just about every major since 2021 — a 17-tournament stretch that, dare we say, is beginning to rival You Know Who.

No, Scheffler doesn’t have the major trophies that Tiger Woods has, but he does have this: In his last 17 majors, he has 12 top-10 finishes. That matches Tiger’s best stretches of top 10s over the same period (1998-2002, 2005-2008).

It’s a level of consistency that, if continued, will eventually deliver Scheffler major titles everywhere, and maybe even on Sunday in the PGA Championship.Yes, the World No. 1 has shaken off the mediocrity (for him) that plagued him in Rounds 1 and 2 to plant himself in contention at Quail Hollow. Five back after 18 holes, three back after 36, Scheffler is the leader after 54 — three shots clear of the field.

The signature shot of his stunning round on Saturday came at 14. Coming off a bogey that dropped him one back of the lead at the time, Scheffler stepped to the tee box at the driveable par-4 and did this:

That led to an eagle 2, vaulting him into the lead he will carry into Sunday after a 6-under 66 — the low round of the day.

It’s the kind of bounce back that has become his signature.

It was, of course, one year ago when he was arrested prior to Round 2 of the 2024 PGA Championship. That day, he shook off the cuffs and the nerves that came with wearing them to fire a 5-under 66 after spending a morning in jail.

Who does that?

Calm, cool and collected Scottie Scheffler does.

Also, of course, it’s that same calm, cool and collected demeanor that maybe prevents Scheffler from captivating fans quite like Tiger Woods did. Because let’s be honest, Tiger winning was part of the appeal, but really what Tiger did was fist-pump his way into our hearts.

Scheffler’s game is more of a nod and a tip of the cap, which doesn’t exactly get the juices flowing on the other side of the ropes. (Though the “Free Scottie” movement last year at Valhalla came close.) What he is is a really, really, really nice guy. The question is, can a really, really, really nice guy who wins a lot transcend?

Or maybe the question should be: Does he have to? Do we need the fist pumps to elevate the guy who, after Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau were previously anointed, is the one who’s emerged as the most dominating player on Tour since Tiger?

Maybe it’s just an added bonus when it happens, which we do get from DeChambeau.

If there’s a rival to Scheffler when it comes to consistency in majors right now, it’s DeChambeau, who is carrying most of the load from LIV Golf.

Early in his career, DeChambeau was boom or bust when it came to the big tournaments. He won the U.S. Open in 2021, then didn’t sniff the top 20 at any major the following year. But a year ago he went T6 at the Masters, runner-up at the PGA, winner at the U.S. Open. And last month he was in the final pairing on Sunday at Augusta.

DeChambeau had the lead briefly on Saturday, but ejected himself from the top of the leaderboard with an inexplicable water ball at 17. Still, he’s at 5-under, six back and still in the mix.

And yet ... he's nowhere near the stratosphere of Scheffler, which isn't a knock. No one is right now, not consistently anyway. Rory McIlroy may have won the green jacket in April, but he's 13 back. Xander Schauffele may have won the PGA Championship a year ago, but he, too, is 13 behind. Brooks Koepka may have once been the major killer, winning five in a bunch, but he didn't even make it to the weekend in Charlotte.

Scheffler has spent the last two-plus years rising to the top — first emerging with a win at Augusta in 2022, cresting to the top of the world ranking in 2023 and now separating himself from the field like no one has since Tiger Woods did in the early 2000s.