The Scottie Scheffler and Tiger Woods comparisons are here to stay, and for good reason. Even golf legend Ernie Els knows it. Ahead of the 2025 Senior PGA Championship, Els pointed to their “confidence,” and said, “I see the similarities now with Scheffler [and Woods],” and “You knew you were in for a tough tournament when he was around, and I think that’s happening now with Scheffler.” At that point, Scheffler had just joined Woods and Jack Nicklaus as the only players to score 15 wins and three majors before turning 29 since WWII. A couple of months since, Scottie Scheffler has another Tiger Woods-like feat up his sleeve, even though not many people are talking about it.
After a shaky start with only three fairways hit in Thursday’s 68 at The Open, Scheffler bounced back impressively on Friday. On Friday, he aced eight birdies to shoot a 7-under 64, snagging a one-stroke lead over Matt Fitzpatrick at the midway point of The Open Championship. Will he make his best showing yet at The Open in his fifth appearance? The weekend rounds will tell us that, until then, however, the World No. 1 has another record on his hands.
And it has everything to do with his 36-round lead. This is the fourth time Scottie Scheffler has held the 36-hole lead or co-lead in a major championship. He’s 2-0 in such instances at Augusta National, winning in 2022 and 2024. And here comes the most interesting part about Scheffler’s 36-hole lead as a World No. 1: Scheffler is the first reigning world No. 1 since Tiger Woods to lead after 36 holes at The Open.
Tiger Woods did it three times (2000, 2005, and 2006) and won each time. Before Scheffler, the last world No. 1 aside from Woods to hold the halfway lead was Sir Nick Faldo in 1993, though he ultimately finished second. Interestingly, a one-shot lead after 36 holes has happened 29 times in Open history, with just five players converting it into a championship win. Notably, Tiger Woods set the last successful precedent in 2006, also the last world No. 1 to achieve this feat.
A stunning round.
Scottie Scheffler is the clubhouse leader going into the weekend. pic.twitter.com/f33PdsVDmG
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 18, 2025
Aside from that, Scheffler has now held the solo or shared lead in a major 10 times since his first Masters win in 2022, achieving this feat throughout 62 rounds. And he has yet to win The Open! Oh, and another important note: If Scheffler wins this weekend, he’ll join an elite group, becoming the fourth player to claim a Masters, PGA Championship, and The Open title before turning 30 – a feat previously achieved by Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods. So, the question remains: can Scottie Scheffler be stopped?
Scottie Scheffler is matching his greatness at The Open Championship.
“No,” is the answer to that question, and Scottie Scheffler’s fellow leader at The Open, Matt Fitzpatrick, tried to explain that. On Friday at Royal Portrush, Fitzpatrick said, “He’s going to expect to go out and dominate. He’s an exceptional player. He’s world No. 1, and we’re seeing Tiger-like stuff. I think the pressure is for him to win the golf tournament.” Indeed, that seems to be the case for several reasons.
Just three days after reflecting on the transience of success, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler delivered a stunning performance at Royal Portrush, carding the lowest major round of his career with eight birdies in a 7-under 64. This impressive round eclipsed his previous best of 65 at the 2025 PGA Championship and set him up with a one-shot lead heading into the weekend.
Having typically struggled to dominate at The Open by his high standards, Scheffler’s current form sends a strong message to his competitors. Despite the game’s oldest tournament being the only major without a top-five finish for him, and with fluctuating weather conditions, Scheffler seems to be cracking the code on his fifth attempt.
His putting, once a concern on links courses, has seen a resurgence this season, ranking him among the top 25 putters on tour. Through two rounds, he’s second in the field in putting, gaining over six strokes. Following his Friday round, Scottie Scheffler simply explained, “I felt like I hit a few more fairways than I did yesterday. [I] hit some nice iron shots, and was able to hole some putts.” Just like Tiger Woods, Scottie Scheffler is here to stay.
The post Golf World Misses It as Scottie Scheffler Ties Rare Tiger Woods Record Midway at The Open appeared first on EssentiallySports.
