Scottie Scheffler is on the verge of nearly matching Rory McIlroy's career earnings on the PGA Tour, thanks to a potential $3.6 million (£2.7 million) prize at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut. If Scheffler wins this weekend, he will pull within approximately $100 of McIlroy's all-time earnings.
McIlroy's Absence Opens Door for Scheffler
McIlroy, who withdrew from the US Open due to his recent performance, is not playing in the Travelers Championship. The 37-year-old Northern Irishman had previously indicated he would be more selective with his schedule, and he has followed through by skipping this event. This marks the third lucrative PGA Tour signature event McIlroy has chosen to sit out during the 2026 season. He finished 32nd at the US Open after a disappointing end to the major.
Scheffler, seven years younger than McIlroy, has accumulated $112,417,711 (£85,096,273) in career earnings, bolstered by four major championships, most recently the 2025 Open. McIlroy, with six major titles, has earned $116,106,347 (£87,888,440). Scheffler has claimed the last four money list titles, while McIlroy has not won one since the 2013/14 season.
Competitive Field at Travelers
Despite McIlroy's absence, Scheffler faces stiff competition. McIlroy is the only player in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking not participating. After the opening round, Eric Cole leads at 7-under par, with Scheffler tied for second alongside five others, including Matt Fitzpatrick, just one shot behind. Scheffler started well despite a minor mishap: he forgot his belt. "This was probably an all-time week to forget my belt," he said. "Just in how convenient it is to get from the house to the course. So that might be part of the reason why I forgot it, just wasn't thinking when I left this morning."
Scheffler's Mindset and Career Earnings Context
Scheffler is pleased to be in contention early. "When the scoring is lower, it can be harder and harder to play catch-up," he said. "I feel like when you play a golf course where even par is going to be the winning score at the end of the week, there are always those days where somebody figures it out. Sometimes here you get so far behind you can only shoot so low on some of these courses, so it’s important to keep pace."
While Scheffler is closing in on McIlroy, surpassing him would not top the career earnings list. Golf legend Tiger Woods remains the all-time leader with $120,999,166 (£91,592,133).
