In the lists of golfing legendary performances, certain seasons that stand out have one more name added to them!
Yes, it’s Scottie Scheffler’s 2024 season that has generated a fierce debate among fans and golf enthusiasts. One enthusiast is the NLU podcast host, Kelvin Van Valkenburg. While ESPN called Scottie’s performance this year “unequivocally one of golf’s greatest seasons.” The Associated Press declared it was “the greatest year since Tiger Woods‘s 2006 season.” The New York Times wondered if it was “a top-five season of all time.” But the NLU host has a different opinion.
In the 933rd episode of the No Laying Up Podcast, Valkenburg pointed out that while everyone’s been going crazy about Scottie Scheffler’s incredible 2024 season, another legendary golfer’s achievements have been overlooked. He was talking about the nine-time winner in the 2004 season, Vijay Singh! The 41-year-old Fijian golfer won 9 PGA Tour events, with 18 top-10 finishes in just 29 starts in 2004. And how can we forget his record-breaking $10,905,166 earnings? That’s not it, though!
His scoring average of 68.65 was the best on tour. He led the tour in birdies with an impressive 509. But what’s truly remarkable is Singh’s consistency. He made cuts in 28 out of 29 events, a feat that’s almost unheard of. It’s as if he was playing a different game altogether. One where he was the only one who knew the rules. In 2004, he didn’t just compete; he dominated in a way that left even the most seasoned golf experts scratching their heads.
But, as Valkenburg says, “We barely talk about it!” And we agree, the 41-year-old overtook Tiger Woods as the world’s number one golfer. But everyone is busy comparing how Scheffler’s performance was similar to one of Tiger Woods’s best seasons. That’s exactly what Van Valkenburg’s theory explained.
He asks, “Has any season of golf ever been as underappreciated as Vijay Singh’s 2004 run?” Pointing out that Vijay Singh’s 2004 season has been grossly underappreciated. And he’s right! It’s been 20 years since Singh’s incredible season, and yet, it’s barely mentioned in conversations about the greatest golf seasons of all time.
But why is that? Van Valkenburg thinks it’s because everyone’s too busy comparing Scheffler’s season to Tiger Woods’ dominant years. He says, “Everyone jumped right to Tiger’s 2000 season or his 2006 season when trying to draw comparisons.” And that’s sad, as Singh’s 2004 season was truly remarkable. Singh won nine times in 2004, including the PGA Championship. That’s twice more than Scheffler won this year depending on how you view the Olympic gold medal he captured in France. But while golf enthusiasts make assumptions about Scotties’s 2024 season, let’s see what he thinks of it.
Scottie Scheffler responds to his comparison with his childhood idol
Scheffler maintains his modesty and groundedness despite his achievements and is compared with his childhood hero. In response to a similar question, Scheffler stated at Sawgrass in March, “I mean, the guy stands alone, I think, in our game.” “I’ve tied him in the Players Championships, and this is my ninth tournament victory to date.” He acknowledged that he still has a long way to go before he can match the greatest of all time in golf, saying, “But aside from that, I have 14 more majors and 70-some PGA Tour events to catch up on.” Scheffler’s modest remark demonstrates that he never gets ahead of himself. He always shows respect for his community elders and heroes.
USA Today via Reuters
He responded, “I’m not really sure how to assess it,” when asked to consider his exceptional year. It’s simply been a lot of fun and weird. I truly appreciate it. The family man continued, “I can’t wait to meet my family.”
While everyone expressed their amazement at Scottie Scheffler’s performance, do you not think that golfers like Vijay Singh deserve the same kind of recognition? Let us know in the comments below!
