Xander Schauffele's victory at the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon was dominant. He walked away with a two-shot lead after shooting a final round of 65 to best Billy Horschel and Justin Rose. This win at the Open marks his second major win of the year, following his win over Bryson DeChambeau at Valhalla Golf Club. Before the 2024 PGA season, Xander's critics doubted his ability to break out and win on golf's biggest stage—The Majors. Today, those same critics are praising Xander. His win at Royal Troon has many wondering: could Xander's season put him in the conversation for Player of the Year?

Scottie Scheffler's 2024 season has been nothing short of dominant. Throughout the year, he's drawn comparisons to prime Tiger. So far, Scottie has secured six wins (the first to do so since Tiger in 2009), including victories at The Masters and The Players Championship. He is currently first on the money list (over $28 million), first in FedEx Cup Points, and has the most Top 10 finishes.

Before Xander's Open Championship win, there was no doubt that Scottie was the clear frontrunner for the 2024 Player of the Year award. However, after Xander's victory, some analysts (and history) believe he could give Scottie a run for his money. The table below shows how their seasons stack up against each other:

It doesn't take a mathematician to see that Scottie has won more frequently and earned more money throughout the season. But Xander's two major wins raise the question: are two Majors enough to dethrone Scottie's season? Major championships have always been the benchmark for success in professional golf. It's important to note that the Jack Nicklaus PGA Tour Player of the Year award is determined by a vote from PGA Tour pros. Since 1990, no player has won two majors in a season without being named Player of the Year. Given that the award is voted on by the players, we need to try and put ourselves in their shoes and ask, "What would Tiger do?" Players and fans may have different opinions about this.

To give you more historical context into previous seasons with multiple major winners in 2008 when Padraig Harrington won both The Open and PGA Championship. He won the POY trophy, surpassing Tiger Woods, who won four times in just six starts (including his iconic victory over Rocco Mediate), and Vijay Singh, who won three times along with the FedEx Cup and money list titles. Voters favored Harrington's two majors over both resumes.

With three starts left in the PGA Tour season, wins in the FedEx Cup could be a decisive factor in determining who will win Player of the Year. Before The Open Championship, Scottie seemed like a lock for the award, but Xander is giving him a run for his money. It will be exciting to see how the remainder of the year unfolds. In the meantime, stay tuned for the latest in golf with Golfstix Clubhouse.