Scottie Scheffler vs. Xander Schauffele Player of the Year showdown heads to Paris Olympics

When it comes to the top names in men’s golf so far in 2024, it’s completely appropriate that Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler’s potential PGA TOUR Player of the Year showdown seems to be coming to a head at the Paris Olympic Games.

It seemed like Scheffler would never lose at the beginning of 2024. He notched four victories in five weeks through springtime, including the Masters. He’s since added two more wins. And then came Schauffele and his summertime stretch – winning two major championships. He captured the PGA Championship by one before winning The Open Championship last weekend after a Sunday 65.

“I think winning the first one helped me a lot on the back nine,” Schauffele said in his post-round press conference. “I had some feeling of calmness come through. It was very helpful on what has been one of the hardest back nines I’ve ever played in a tournament.

“It’s a dream come true to win two majors in one year. It took me forever to just win one and to have two now is something else.”

Now Schauffele, the world No. 2, heads to Paris looking to successfully defend his gold medal from Tokyo with all the momentum behind him. He has finished inside the top 20 at 11 majors in a row – a run not seen in men’s professional golf in two decades.

And he’s also armed with the knowledge for what it takes to find the podium.

In Tokyo, Schauffele topped Rory Sabbatini by one shot to win gold after Sabbatini shot a sizzling final-round 61. It was a special moment for the American, whose father had Olympic aspirations of his own as a youngster before his car was struck by a drunk driver when he was 20 – costing him his left eye.

“To have my dad here as well is really special,” Schauffele said after he won gold. “I gave him a hug off the back of the green there. I know this means a lot to him, so I'm just happy to sort of deliver this.”

Scheffler, meanwhile, is hungry to add an Olympic medal to his ever-growing trophy collection. If Le Golf National is set to be a ball-strikers paradise, then look no further than the best ball-striker on TOUR.

“Playing for your country is always extremely exciting and it will be pretty surreal doing it on the Olympic stage,” Scheffler said in a recent interview. “It’s also good bragging rights for people that tell me golf is not a sport — I can say it’s an Olympic sport.

“I’m just excited to go there and experience the Olympics, see some other sports, go to the village, see other athletes and just be part of it all. It should be a fun, special week.”

So, just like it’s been all summer it’ll be Schauffele and Scheffler, Scheffler and Schauffele battling it out for a big win.

At the Olympics, there are three different colors of titles to try for. It won’t count in the PGA TOUR record books, but what a tremendous world-stage victory it could be.

And how very appropriate it would be to see them battling down the stretch.