The Tiger Woods Effect: Why Playing Beside Scottie Scheffler Has Become Golf's Hardest Assignment
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 07: Scottie Scheffler of United States of America looks on at the 11th hole during the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard 2026 at Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Golf Course on March 07, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire GOLF: MAR 07 PGA, Golf Herren Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon5732603070383
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 07: Scottie Scheffler of United States of America looks on at the 11th hole during the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard 2026 at Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Golf Course on March 07, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire GOLF: MAR 07 PGA, Golf Herren Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon5732603070383
Brian Harman had to back off his tee shot multiple times. The crowd wasn't focused on him. It never is when Scottie Scheffler is in the group.
Former PGA Tour player and CBS Sports analyst Johnson Wagner raised the issue publicly after last week's 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota, where Scheffler made his debut at the event and finished runner-up to Jackson Koivun.
Wagner told Golf on CBS that the massive galleries following Scheffler around the course were creating real problems for his playing partners on July 29.
"Harman backed off multiple times; I think it was on 11, it was a couple of other tee shots, he had to back off of tee shots because of the crowd," Wagner said on Golf on CBS. "And then if Scottie made a putt and Harman's got five feet for par of whatever, he's inside him, it was brutal."
Wagner drew a direct line between what is happening with Scheffler now and what happened with Tiger Woods at the peak of his powers. "It's just like it was playing with Tiger," Wagner said. "I couldn't imagine playing in the group in front of them, or in the group behind, because it's just people either swarming the greens or scattering. But the crowds were amazing."
Scheffler addressed the gallery atmosphere after his opening 66 at the 3M Open. "It was a ton of fun," Scheffler told reporters. "Like you said, it was a really good crowd this morning, especially for an early tee time."
Wagner noted it was a similar situation to what players experienced when paired with Woods at his peak.
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Scheffler has finished runner-up five times this season, at the Masters to Rory McIlroy, at the RBC Heritage to Matt Fitzpatrick, at the Travelers Championship to Viktor Hovland, at The Open Championship to Ryan Fox, and at the 3M Open to Koivun.
He has 20 PGA Tour victories since his breakthrough at the 2022 WM Phoenix Open, including four majors and an Olympic gold medal.
Scheffler said the crowd support doesn't change how he approaches a round. For the players beside him, Wagner called the situation "ridiculous."
Do you think playing alongside Scheffler gives rivals a genuine disadvantage? Tell us in the comments!
Written by
Sneha Abraham