Scottie Scheffler Rallies From 3 Back to Win Second Tour Championship by 3 Shots

Q: If adjusted for modern purse inflation, how much higher would Tiger Woods' career earnings be compared to Scheffler's new record?

Adjusted for inflation, Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour career earnings would be about **$72.4 million higher** than Scottie Scheffler’s new record. Scheffler’s official career total after winning the Tour Championship is **$130,390,661**. The additional reporting says Woods’ official PGA Tour earnings, when adjusted year by year using the U.S. Consumer Price Index, would equal **$202.8 million**. That means the inflation-adjusted gap is roughly: **$202.8 million - $130.39 million = $72.41 million** So while Scheffler has passed Woods on the raw official money list, Woods would still be comfortably ahead in inflation-adjusted terms. The broader point is that this record is heavily shaped by era. PGA Tour purses during Woods’ peak were far smaller than they are now. As one example cited in the reporting, Woods earned **$1.008 million** for winning the 2002 Masters; in today’s game, that is closer to what a third-place finisher can receive at a major. That is why Scheffler himself has been careful not to frame the milestone as truly surpassing Woods’ financial achievement.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 30

Scottie Scheffler closed with a 4-under 66 at East Lake to finish 16 under, erasing a three-shot deficit and beating Viktor Hovland by three for his second Tour Championship.
Birdies at Nos. 2, 4, 8, 10, 13 and 16 powered the comeback, with Scheffler taking the outright lead at 13 and stretching it to two shots at 16.
Hovland, who entered Sunday ahead, shot 2-over 72 as his putting cooled sharply; several birdie tries lipped out and missed fairways on the back nine compounded the slide.
A bunker shot on No. 13 drew rules scrutiny, but officials assessed no penalty; a two-stroke ruling would have cost Hovland more than $3 million in prize money.
The win gives Scheffler three PGA Tour titles in 2026, avenges his Travelers Championship loss to Hovland and strengthens his case for a fifth straight Player of the Year award.