Scottie Scheffler has the best strokes gained average on the PGA Tour this season. He’s leading the field on driving in 2026 and is the most consistent at finding greens in regulation. That hasn’t translated to many wins, as the World No. 1 only has one title to his name so far. Is that the reason he isn’t one of the most influential athletes in sports today?

NUCLR GOLF posted that Rory McIlroy, Nelly Korda, and Jeeno Thitikul have been named in the TIME 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026 list. While the two highest-ranked women in golf made the list, having the World No. 2 in men’s golf without Scheffler’s presence does come as a surprise. More so, because just two months ago, Scheffler was in another hallowed list of men.

Scottie Scheffler made it to TIME’s 100 Most Influential People of 2026. At that time, the World No. 1 said, “Being able to achieve my dreams, I’m very fortunate; if I can be a positive influence on someone’s life, that’s a great thing. But at the end of the day, I don’t know if I’m the best role model.” The difference is he hasn’t made the list specifically made for athletes, which is surprising because he is the current World No. 1 and a four-time major winner.

Quite naturally, Scheffler’s absence has left the golf community baffled. The list of athletes looks only at the players who have an influence inside the community, while the most influential persons’ list considers broader cultural impact. This is not to say that McIlroy shouldn’t be on the list. The Northern Irishman has been spectacular all year long. He finished as the runner-up in the Genesis Invitational back in February. One more birdie and he would have challenged Jacob Bridgeman in the playoff at Riviera Country Club.

A few weeks later, the Grand Slam champion went to Augusta National to become the second golfer since Tiger Woods to successfully defend the Masters Tournament. He also finished at T7 in the PGA Championship.

Jeeno Thitikul has also been amazing this year. She traveled to her home country to win the Honda LPGA Thailand back in February. Back in May, Thitikul also retained a title, the 2026 Mizuho Americas Open. While she may not be the World No. 1 anymore, she is still a dominating force in women’s golf.

As far as Nelly Korda goes, she has been phenomenal in the last few events. She has played eight events this year and finished in the top-10 in all of them. The top women’s golfer has also won four titles this year. Her most recent win came at a venue McIlroy nearly triumphed at in February, Riviera Country Club. She won the U.S. Women’s Open after beating Charley Hull by one stroke.

However, Scheffler has also been amazing in 2026. While he may have only had one win so far, he has finished in the top-10 seven times. And the stats show that he has remained quite consistent. And he has also been able to maintain his position on the OWGR despite not winning as consistently. Just goes to show how often he delivers high-caliber performance without taking home the winner’s paycheck.

And it’s not just us who believe that. The fans are also surprised that TIME didn’t include Scottie Scheffler in the list. Let’s see what they had to say.

The internet is in disbelief as Scottie Scheffler is overlooked by TIME Magazine

Whether he is winning or not, there is no doubt that fans always have eyes on what Scottie Scheffler does. That certainly makes him a huge name in the sport. Some even consider him a bigger threat than others.

As one of the fans said, “Yeah Jeeno is more influential than Scottie Scheffler lmao give me a break.”

Scheffler certainly has had a larger impact on golf in the United States and globally as well. Fans witnessed him motivate an amateur golfer, Farah O’Keefer, as she was making her debut in the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open a few days ago. Her speechlessness while talking to Scheffler revealed how highly she and other young golfers regard his opinion.

Someone just laughed it off by questioning, “Lmfao SCOTTIE?!” Even the TWLEGION account tweeted, “No Scottie 😂.”

Considering the history he has been chasing recently, Scheffler seemed like the obvious choice to make the list. He was chasing a third consecutive Memorial Tournament win last weekend. The four-time major winner has also been within arm’s reach of other big wins on the PGA Tour this season.

Another fan justified Scheffler’s record by saying, “Scottie won 6 tournaments in 2025.”

Since the list was released in the middle of the year, Scheffler’s wins from 2025 can also be considered. And it’s true that he was certainly spectacular throughout last season. Even this year, the numbers paint a different picture than the results he has produced. It’s only a matter of time before he starts winning consistently again. This weekend at Shinnecock Hills will be a true test for him. Especially with the U.S. Open is the only major he needs to complete a career Grand Slam.

Lastly, one of the fans was there to criticize the reigning Open champion: “What’s missing is a personality, Scottie Schefler needs one.”

The complaint stems from Scheffler’s stoical nature on the course. It’s rare that he loses his temper, although it has been more frequent in the last few weeks. However, Scottie Scheffler is still widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in golf these days.