Xander Schauffele enjoyed the best year of his golf career but even that is not enough to dethrone PGA Tour rival Scottie Scheffler for Player of the Year, and the world No.1 spot. That is not lost on Schauffele, either.

“I just had my best career ever and wasn’t really close,” he told reporters Tuesday at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in the Tokyo area, ahead of the 2024 Zozo Championship which Tiger Woods hosts every year.

Schauffele, 30, swapped coaches at the start of 2024 as Chris Como — who has worked with Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau — replaced Schauffele’s father Stefan, who he had worked with throughout his career.

The move paid dividends as Schauffele holed a birdie on the final hole at Valhalla Golf Club in May to win the PGA Championship — his first major. Two months later, he added the Open Championship to his honors roll as a Sunday score of 65 gave him a two-stroke lead over two-man chasing pack Billy Horschel and Justin Rose.

In many years, this would be enough to be considered the best golfer on the planet. But this remains Scheffler’s world, and Schauffele may just be living in it.

Scheffler scooped seven tour titles including a second green jacket at Augusta National Golf Club. He also won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, The Players Championship, and the Tour Championship, together with three other trophies. And that isn’t even including the 2024 Olympics as he returned from Paris with the gold medal having tied the course record (62) at Le Golf National to finish 19-under par.

Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler shake hands on the 18th green during the second round of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club

Xander Schauffele has been unable to usurp Scottie Scheffler despite a brilliant year ( 

Image:

Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

It begs the question how Schauffele closes the gap — if he can at all. “It seems I need to have the best career ever just to come close to Scheffler,” Schauffele said. “I’m pretty content with how I played and where my game is at,” Schauffele added. “If I can keep on doing what I’m doing, I’d be very pleased.”

Two-time major winner Collin Morikawa will hope to defend his Zozo Championship crown but is an underdog this week according to bookmakers, who tout Schauffele as the tournament favorite.

Schauffele does not have to worry about Scheffler this time around as the competition recently announced the field, with only three of the world’s top-10 fighters making the trip. Tiger Woods was also a noticeable absentee, with rumors circulating that one of the game’s consensus GOATs is not fully fit following another surgery on his spasming back, in September.

Schauffele’s main competition for the title this week will be Morikawa and Hideki Matsuyama, as well as outside chances from the likes of Sahith Theegala, Max Homa, and Justin Thomas. There is a total of $8.5 million to compete for, with the winner receiving a cool $1.53 million.