Gary Player enjoyed huge success throughout his time in the professional game, and Scottie Scheffler is currently on a trajectory that would see him eclipse the South African’s achievements.

Player won 159 tournaments worldwide during his career, including 24 PGA Tour titles and nine major championships.

Meanwhile, Scheffler already has 22 PGA Tour wins to his name, including four majors, at the age of 30.

If the man from Dallas, Texas, continues to win with the regularity that he has done over the past four years, he will secure legendary status in the game before he turns 40.

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Scheffler’s dominance on the PGA Tour since his first win in February 2022 has seen comparisons made between him and the likes of Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.

While the 30-year-old may never hit the heights that those two players did, he will undoubtedly end his career as one of the greatest golfers ever to have graced the game. Or will he?

Something Gary Player said eight years ago certainly raises questions over Scheffler’s standing as the world number one golfer.

One main criticism of Scheffler over the past few years is that he simply doesn’t play enough events worldwide.

World number one golfers of the past have always felt obliged to help grow the game by traveling all over the world to showcase their talents to fans who don’t get to see the best players in the world compete very often.

Gary Player’s suggestion in 2018 shines the spotlight on Scottie Scheffler

Player made it his mission to travel the world during his prime, competing all over the globe in order to help grow the game.

Meanwhile, Scheffler could not be more different. The four-time major champion plays the vast majority of his golf in the United States.

Rory McIlroy plays plenty of golf in Europe, the Middle East and even further afield in places like China and Australia.

Tiger Woods was the same during his prime, and Gary Player once shared his belief that the very best golfers in the world cannot be considered as truly great champions unless they play a reasonable number of events outside of the United States.

Back in 2018, Player took to his official X account to share his dismay at the lack of players from the United States competing in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

“Unfortunately, I can only count six players from the USA playing at Wentworth in the BMW PGA Championship on the European Tour (now DP World Tour) “flagship” event,“ Player wrote.

“What a shame for our global game. You can never be a world champion if you stay at home. GP.“

What Scottie Scheffler has said about playing a global schedule

Scheffler recently suggested that family time is so important to him, and he admitted that he may not play global events until his children are a lot older.

Back in July, the world number one responded when asked whether the prospect of playing more tournaments outside of the United States appeals to him.

“It definitely interests me. I’d like to see how it shapes out the next couple of years. There’s a lot of places I think I’d like to play,“ he said.

“There’s always just, you know, the time and the place for me. I’m at a time in my life where I have a young family at home and young kids.

“Those are times – the fall is a special time for our family. It’s where we can really check out and be together, and I get to spend a lot of time with my kids. So I hold those moments pretty sacred.

“But at the same time, I love golf, and I would love to be able to play more internationally. Like Australia; New Zealand is a place we would love to be able to go to. My wife has always wanted to go to New Zealand.

“But like I said, I love this style of golf, and I feel like it’s pretty unique to here. But going to play the Sandbelt in Australia would be pretty special as well. Hopefully I can find the time. It’s definitely an intriguing part of the schedule, and yeah, it definitely interests me as well.”

Actions speak louder than words. If Scheffler is to be considered as a truly great player and a genuine ambassador for our wonderful game, he may well have to start competing globally more often.

At least, that’s what Gary Player believes.