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Scottie Scheffler is all however a lock to take dwelling his first FedEx Cup — however all it takes is a foul weekend to screw all of it up.
And that is why the reigning Olympic gold medalist (and Masters champion) is not too keen on the PGA Tour’s present playoff format.
“I talked about it the last few years. I think it’s silly,” he says.
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Scottie Scheffler strains up a putt on the first gap throughout the second spherical of the U.S. Open golf event at Pinehurst No. 2. (Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports)
Scheffler is aware of all too effectively that one unhealthy event can destroy all of it. In each 2022 and 2023, he started the Tour Championship at East Lake at 10-under, due to his earlier performances. But unhealthy closing rounds in each tournaments saved him from being named the FedEx Cup Champion.
The Top 70 golfers are within the first leg of the playoffs. The prime 50 will go to the second event, and the Tour Championship will host the highest 30, by which the leaderboard kicks off with a strokes-based system primarily based on everybody’s performances all through the season. In all probability, Scheffler will start the event with a two-stroke lead at 10-under, however once more, one unhealthy weekend might value him.
“Hypothetically, we get to East Lake, and my neck flares up, and it doesn’t heal the way it did at The Players. I finish 30th in the FedEx Cup because I had to withdraw from the last tournament? Is that really the season-long race? No, it is what it is.”
Scottie Scheffler of the United States performs his shot from the twelfth tee throughout the closing spherical of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on May 19, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
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“It’s a fun tournament,” Scheffler stated. “I don’t really consider it the season-long race like I think the way it’s called. But you’ve got to figure out a way to strike a balance between it being a good TV product and it still being a season-long race. Right now, I don’t know exactly how the ratings are or anything like that, but I know for a fact you can’t really quite call it the season-long race when it comes down to one stroke play tournament on the same golf course each year.”
Rory McIlroy, a three-time FedEx Cup champ, joked that he likes the format, as a result of it is the one manner someone can catch Scheffler within the standings. He has a virtually 2,000-point lead over Xander Schauffele (5,993 to 4,057), and greater than twice as many factors McIlroy has (2,545).
Scottie Scheffler of the United States walks the 18th fairway throughout the closing spherical of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on May 19, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
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McIlroy, although, did admit it is probably not the “fairest reflection of who’s been the best player of the year.”
“But I think at this point, we’re not in for totally fair. We’re in for entertainment and for trying to put on the best product we possibly can,” McIlroy stated.
The playoffs start on Thursday with the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis at TPC Southwind.
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