Second again - why has Scheffler stopped winning?

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, World number one Scottie Scheffler did not win any of golf's four major championships in 2026 By Joe Bradshaw BBC Sport senior journalist Published 5 minutes ago It has been six months since world number one Scottie Scheffler won a golf tournament. Given he earned 14 victories over the previous two seasons, it is a drought few could have conceived when he triumphed at the American Express Open on 27 January 2026. The four majors have passed without a Scheffler victory - he won both the US PGA Championship and The Open in 2025 - while two weeks ago he missed his first cut in 78 events, ending the longest unbroken streak on the PGA Tour. On Sunday, he was runner-up in Minnesota to PGA Tour rookie Jackson Koivun. So is the world's best player past his peak? Was it mere hyperbole to compare him favourably with Tiger Woods when he was racking up the victories on tour? Or does his consistency suggest the floodgates are about to re-open? Woods comparisons continue after Scheffler wins again Published 26 January How 'Tiger-like' Scheffler is conquering golf Published 20 July 2025 What are the possible reasons for lack of wins? Leaving it too late? At the top of his powers, Scheffler, 30, is a front-running machine. Of his 20 victories on tour, 75% have come when he has held the lead going into the final round, albeit his most recent three victories have been when trailing after 54 holes. This season however, he has not even been joint leader after the third round and therefore always been chasing on a Sunday. Take the 3M Open this weekend. He shot an eight-under 63 to finish second behind exciting new talent Koivun, but was still three shots back. Twice in 2026 he has lost in a play-off, to Matt Fitzpatrick and Viktor Hovland. Both times Scheffler trailed going into round four and duly reeled in the leader, only to fall short on the extra hole. Early in his career, Scheffler coughed up the lead after 54 holes a number of times, including when leading Rory McIlroy by six shots at the Tour Championship in 2022. Since then, when in front with 18 to play, he has ruthlessly converted. This season, he has not given himself that chance. Failing to put everything together at once? At his best, there is an inevitability to Scheffler winning - but over the course of any tournament, a dip in one element can cost him. For instance, The Open at Royal Birkdale was won brilliantly by New Zealand's Ryan Fox but, if Scheffler's putter had worked during the week, he would have reclaimed the title he took at Royal Portrush last year. In his second round alone, he missed seven birdie putts from 15 feet or less - four inside 10 feet - and was ranked 60th in the field on the greens. It is an Achilles' heel that has dogged Scheffler before, but the PGA Tour has him as fifth-best putter , external on tour in 2026 - so it is certainly not a problem every week. Or perhaps slow starts are costing him. On nine occasions this season, includi