Why Bryson DeChambeau, not Scottie Scheffler, is actually having the best major season of 2024

It’s quite intriguing to observe that despite Scottie Scheffler’s phenomenal season, one of the best since Tiger Woods in 2009, he hasn’t truly excelled in the most critical golf events of 2024. Bryson DeChambeau, on the other hand, is narrowly missing out on winning two of this year’s three majors.

In fact, from a statistical viewpoint, Scheffler isn’t even in the top three for major performance. This doesn’t diminish his achievements this season, though. His six overall victories more than compensate for his slight lag behind DeChambeau, Xander Schauffele, and even Collin Morikawa in major championships.

There’s no criticism intended for Scheffler here; rather, he serves as a lens through which we can appreciate the outstanding performances of DeChambeau, Schauffele, Morikawa, and others. Just consider this list of golfers who made the cut in all three of the year’s majors, ranked by their aggregate scores:

| **Player** | **Total Shots** | **To Par** |
|—|—|—|
| Bryson DeChambeau | 824 | -28 |
| Xander Schauffele | 829 | -23 |
| Collin Morikawa | 835 | -17 |
| Scottie Scheffler | 836 | -16 |
| Rory McIlroy | 839 | -13 |
| Tommy Fleetwood | 842 | -10 |
| Patrick Cantlay | 847 | -5 |
| Russell Henley | 848 | -4 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | 849 | -3 |
| Corey Conners | 850 | -2 |
| Shane Lowry | 850 | -2 |
| Tony Finau | 850 | -2 |
| Keegan Bradley | 852 | E |
| Min Woo Lee | 852 | E |
| Harris English | 853 | +1 |
| Cameron Smith | 854 | +2 |
| Tom Kim | 854 | +2 |
| Tyrrell Hatton | 855 | +3 |
| Sahith Theegala | 856 | +4 |
| Brooks Koepka | 858 | +6 |
| Nicolai Højgaard | 861 | +9 |
| Cameron Young | 863 | +11 |
| Ryan Fox | 873 | +21 |

This list is likely to shrink after The Open Championship as some players may not make the cut, but it provides a fascinating snapshot of major performance.

Surprisingly, Scheffler ranks fourth! Despite winning the Masters and finishing T8 at the PGA Championship, his near-miss at the cut line in the U.S. Open, where he finished T41, is where the top three made significant gains on him. Remarkably, it’s his only finish outside the top 17 all year, which is extraordinary.

DeChambeau’s 28-under-par performance is particularly striking. According to Data Golf, DeChambeau is close to achieving a historic major championship season in 2024, having gained 48.8 strokes over three majors. If he can gain another 12 strokes at The Open, he would surpass the 60-stroke mark for the major season, a feat only accomplished seven times since 1983 by players like Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, and Ernie Els. Reaching this milestone would solidify DeChambeau’s standing as having one of the most impressive major seasons ever.

Xander Schauffele’s major season is also noteworthy. His success in 2024 has been exceptional, with finishes of 8th, 1st, and T7 in the majors. This level of performance, even beyond his PGA Championship victory, marks the best year of his career. Whether this can be sustained remains to be seen, but it has certainly been a remarkable year for him.

Collin Morikawa, often overshadowed by others, is also having an outstanding major season with finishes of T3, T4, and T14. If he manages to win a second Claret Jug, he will surely receive more of the recognition he deserves.

An interesting trend is emerging where it’s becoming rare for a player to win a major while having an otherwise poor season at those events. This year’s major winners are all among the top four in aggregate scoring, which contrasts with previous years where one-off champions were more common.

Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy have also had consistently strong performances in the majors, with several top-30 finishes and a couple of close calls. It wouldn’t be surprising to see one of them seriously contending at Royal Troon.

Lastly, it’s surprising to see Russell Henley outscoring Brooks Koepka by 10 strokes across the first three majors of the season.