Scottie Scheffler‘s 2025 season surely left the world in awe. He had one of the most dominant seasons we’ve seen in recent times, with six victories, including two majors. The 29-year-old claimed the Jack Nicklaus Award as PGA Tour Player of the Year for the fourth consecutive time, prompting even Jack Nicklaus to offer his congratulations.. While he lauded Scheffler’s brilliance, he also cheekily acknowledged the stiff competition he faced.

Nicklaus chose Instagram to tip his hat to Scheffler. But it wasn’t just about Scheffler. Nicklaus also acknowledged Rory McIlroy’s run this season, and the threat that he posed to Scheffler. After all, it’s always your competitive nemesis who pushes you to put out the best that you can. Nicklaus made sure Rory McIlroy’s season found some highlight despite the lack of a Masters win.

“Congrats to @scottie.scheffler for his four-peat and winning the Jack Nicklaus Award as PGA TOUR Player of the Year. Even with @rorymcilroy and his wonderful year—along with very talented and greatly improved @bengriffingolf and inspiring @officialtommyfleetwood—giving Scottie a run as finalists, it’s very hard to overlook six victories in one year, including the @memorialgolf and two majors. Right now, Scottie is at the top of the game! Arguably in a class by himself…”

And while Scottie Scheffler is indeed in a class by himself, Nicklaus, too, acknowledged that players like Rory McIlroy put up a tough fight against Scheffler. The Northern Irish star completed his career Grand Slam this year, won three tournaments, including the Masters, and recorded eight top-10 finishes.

In fact, Rory McIlroy has himself won the Player of the Year Award thrice, a feat that only he, Tiger Woods, and Scheffler have achieved. But this season, despite McIlroy’s remarkable achievements, Scheffler’s sheer consistency made the difference.

In 2025, Scottie Scheffler finished first in 30% of his 20 starts, placed in the top 10 in 17 events, and managed a top-25 finish in every tournament he entered. “I think overall the thing that I’m most proud of when I look at the last couple of years is just consistency,” Scheffler told the media via a teleconference on Monday.

“It’s not very easy to just show up and finish in the top 10 each week. I think that’s something very difficult to do, and something I’m very proud of, bringing the intensity that I need to in these tournaments and being prepared as I need to in order to perform well week in and week out,” he added. Now, Scheffler is the only golfer besides Woods to have won this award for the fourth year in a row.

Beyond the wins, Scheffler also captured the Byron Nelson Award for best scoring average (68.13) for the third consecutive season. He ranked first in scoring average in each of the four rounds he played in, a feat not achieved since Tiger Woods in 2000.

But beyond his wins on the golf course, Nicklaus also praised Scheffler’s approach to life and how he does not make his entire life about just his playing career.

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Jack Nicklaus lauds Scottie Scheffler’s approach to golf

Jack Nicklaus didn’t just congratulate Scottie Scheffler on yet another astonishing season, but also spoke of his mindset towards the game. In his Instagram caption, Nicklaus continued, “Scottie doesn’t make golf his major priority, and I like that approach. I think you live a much happier and healthier life that way. After all, golf is a game, and Scottie Scheffler sure does a great job at playing that game.”

That perspective isn’t just praise from a legend, but it’s echoed in Scheffler’s own reflections on his approach towards life. The world No. 1 has openly said that faith and family come before golf, noting that golf isn’t the most important thing in his life. In fact, during a press conference at the 2025 Open, Scheffler even stated bluntly that he’d walk away from golf if his career ever affected his family and his bond with his son.

He explained that while winning and competing bring him tremendous joy, they “don’t fulfill the deepest places of your heart” the way being a husband and father does. He told reporters that he’d “much rather be a great father than be a great golfer.”

Scheffler’s candid view of life and priorities has not only shaped his approach to golf but also earned him admiration for how he defines success. And that’s what impressed Jack Nicklaus the most about him, that Scottie Scheffler knows how to win at golf without losing sight of what truly matters in life.