Ticket Schlabach, ESPN Senior WriterAug 14, 2024, 02:55 PM ET
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World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler arrived at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, this week with a newly won Olympic gold medal round his neck.
Nonetheless as the PGA Tour’s three-event playoff begins Thursday at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, Scheffler became as soon as requested regarding the trophy that has eluded him to this level in what has otherwise been a stellar career: the FedEx Cup.
In line with his season-prolonged performance, Scheffler started every of the past two Tour Championships at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta at 10 below in starting strokes, as a minimal two shots better than anyone else.
In 2022, Scheffler squandered a six-stroke lead by carding a 3-over 73 in the final round and lost to Rory McIlroy by one. Final Twelve months, Scheffler started at 10 below and went just 1 below over 72 holes on his hold. He tied for sixth at 11 below, 16 strokes in the assist of winner Viktor Hovland.
It be no shock Scheffler, a two-time Masters champion, shouldn’t be in particular desirous regarding the tour’s playoff format.
“I talked about it the earlier few years, I deem it’s foolish,” Scheffler stated Wednesday for the length of a news convention at TPC Southwind. “You can not call it a season-prolonged trot and devour it attain down to 1 match.
“Hypothetically, we get hold of to East Lake and my neck flares up and it would not heal the plot in which it did at the Avid gamers. I perform 30th in the FedEx Cup because I needed to withdraw from the final match? Is that truly the season-prolonged trot? No, it’s miles what it’s miles.”
McIlroy, who has won the FedEx Cup a tale three cases, likes the format since it affords all people else a bet to strive to earn Scheffler over the subsequent three weeks.
With six victories, including in four of the eight signature events that awarded elevated FedEx Cup points, Scheffler has 5,993 points. He has a close to 2,000-level lead over Xander Schauffele (4,057) and better than twice as many points as McIlroy (2,545).
“I love this format because if it wasn’t this format, then none of us would devour a bet against Scottie because he’s to this level forward,” McIlroy stated. “So I love this format.”
McIlroy acknowledges that the Tour Championship potentially shouldn’t be the fairest plot to search out out the tour’s season-prolonged champion. Nonetheless he says it’s potentially rep out how to manufacture the season-ending match attention-grabbing for followers.
“I deem it makes the Tour Championship extra thrilling from a user standpoint,” McIlroy stated. “Is it the fairest reflection of who’s been the perfect participant of the Twelve months? Doubtlessly not. Nonetheless I deem at this level we’re not in for completely glorious; we’re in for leisure and for attempting to placed on the perfect product we seemingly can.”
There will be two FedEx Cup playoff events played sooner than the Tour Championship. Scheffler has played effectively close to in every single place the put over the last three seasons, however his outcomes have not been abundant at TPC Southwind.
Scheffler would not devour a top-10 perform in six begins. He passed over the gash in 2022 and tied for 31st at 6 below final season.
“It be exhausting for me to take into accout the earlier few years,” Scheffler stated. “Ratings are in most cases low right here, and I just have not truly shot that low. Why that is, some years I did not hit it excellent, some years I did not putt it excellent. Adore I stated, I truly feel find it irresistible’s a golf direction that will seemingly possibly well additionally silent swimsuit me. It be not desirable broad. You might seemingly possibly well additionally devour bought to hit excellent shots. Bermuda greens is what I grew up on.”
The head 50 golfers in the FedEx Cup points standings after the FedEx St. Jude Championship will solution to subsequent week’s BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colorado. It be the tour’s first conclude at that direction since 2006.
The head 30 golfers after the first two legs of the FedEx Cup playoffs will compete in the Tour Championship, the put Scheffler figures to as soon as extra starting up with a lead.
“It be a fun match,” Scheffler stated. “I originate not truly elevate into fable it the season-prolonged trot love I deem the plot in which it’s called. Nonetheless you might seemingly possibly well additionally devour bought to figure out a formula to strike a steadiness between it being a first price TV product and it silent being a season-prolonged trot.
“Accurate now, I originate not know exactly how the scores are or anything else love that,