Scheffler can follow the traces of Woods’ history, claims ELS

By Phil Campbell

Ernie Els insists that Scottie Scheffler is just as dominant as Tiger Woods was at her peak and supported Texan to become one of the great of all time after winning the open.

Scheffler, 29, exploded the rest of the field to win his fourth major title last week and add the Bordeaux jug to his two master’s victories and win the PGA championship.

It was a performance that had more than a trace of wood at its best.

Scheffler is the world’s leading n ° 1 to win open since Woods in 2006 and has now won its four majors after having led after 54 holes – a Woods feature was known to have converted a night lead into a major title 14 times.

The two men also took 1197 days to win their fourth adult from the date of their first triumph, and the two are only two of the four players – the other two being Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player – to win the Masters, the open and PGA championship before the age of 30.

PGA Tour Champions announces that Portugal Invititational will be held at the Els Club Vilamoura on the route designed by Ernie Els

And the double open champion, and his other quadruple winner, Els thinks that as long as Scheffler continues to dominate, his name will continue next to Woods.

“There will always be similarities between Scottie Scheffler and Tiger because of the way he performs and the way he wins,” said Els, speaking during the launch of his new golf club, Els Club Vilamoura.

“This is the way Tiger did things. He takes track and he does not give up these tracks. He is no longer afraid to win, he knows how to win. He becomes ruthless in this way.

“His game is great. He has no real weakness. His putting is one of his strength now, so overall, he is very, very interesting to look at.

“I would love to see what he does in the next five to 10 years.”

Scheffler’s triumph at the open also pursues the recent bastion of the competition organized by American players.

The last three jugs of Blaret have been lifted by those from the Atlantic thanks to the victories of Xander Schauffele and Brian Harman respectively in 2024 and 2023.

For ELS, he dissipates the myth on the Americans who struggle on the bond lessons.

“I think you adapt,” continued the South African, who won his first open in Muirfield in 2002 before winning Jug Claret 10 years later in Royal Lytham & St Annes.

“When you are a good ball attacker and you have to be a good ball attacker on the Land ties, if you can shoot the ball from a club, you will learn to play on the links.

“It is normally a good ball attacker who will be learned to play. Scottie Scheffler learned to do so. David Duval did this, Phil Mickelson too.

“There are many players who did this and who have succeeded on the links]who have never really played links.

“When you find your way around the links, you will succeed, and that’s what’s going on.”

ELS played an exhibition of nine holes to open the Els Club Vilamoura alongside the Scottish legend Colin Montgomerie and the 2001 open champion David Duval.

The Algarve course is a 18-hole championship golf course which offers a luxury clubhouse and signature equipment such as the 261 bar, and was built on the Redesssiné Victoria course, which welcomed the Masters of Portugal from 2007 to 2022.

It will host the new PGA Champions Tour event, Portugal Invitational, after having signed a five -year contract.

The first edition of the event should be held from July 31 to August 2, 2026.

Els said: “The golf course is in the pretty ideal place right now and [creating this course] was a very nice business. We want the conditions to be absolutely perfect and people have great experience and good food. »»

Montgomerie added: “The golf course is superb, and the clubhouse is fantastic. It is not only a course for the present; it is also a course for the future.”

PGA Tour Champions announces Portugal Invititational to be held at the Els Club Vilamoura on the route designed by Ernie Els. PGA Tour Champions, Arrow Global Group, Turismo de Portugal and Turismo de Algarve will offer a five -year partnership and will do its debut the week of July 27, 2026, and will offer an area of 78 players. For more information, visit https://www.portugalinvitational.com/