August 23, 2024; Castle Rock, Colorado, USA; Scottie Scheffler after a putt on the 15th hole during the second round of the BMW Championship golf tournament at Castle Pines Golf Club. Mandatory Photo Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports Scottie Scheffler cannot change the format of the Tour Championship, at least not this year.
Scheffler has been asked so many times whether he thinks the “staggered points start” in the season finale is a fair method of determining the FedEx Cup winner. His answer has always been the same: “It may not be perfect, but that shouldn’t matter if you’re playing your best at the end of the season.”
Scheffler is seeking his first FedEx Cup title this week in Atlanta, where he begins the Tour Championship with a two-stroke lead over the field.
“If you play golf well enough, the whole thing will take care of itself in the end,” Scheffler said Tuesday.
Many have questioned whether a two-stroke lead is really rewarded for a player who has had a season like Scheffler. The world No. 1 has won six tournaments, including the Masters and the Players Championship, and an Olympic gold medal to boot, even though it is not a PGA Tour-sanctioned event.
Scheffler enters Thursday at 10 under par and Xander Schauffele at 8 under par, even though Scheffler has earned over 1,000 more FedEx Cup points than Schauffele. Since the format change in 2019, no one who began the Tour Championship at the top of the leaderboard has won the Cup.
But Scheffler, a native Texan, drew parallels to how the playoffs work in other American sports.
“It’s like the Cowboys have had great regular seasons the last few years and let me down in the playoffs,” Scheffler said. “But golf is a different sport. There are so many different voices and ways you can do it. I’m not sitting here saying I have a crystal ball and know what’s best.”
“Golden State Warriors, best regular season ever and they lose in the finals. These things happen.”
Scheffler was asked if he would be OK with one of the PGA Tour’s new sponsors, Strategic Sports Group, coming up with a radical idea to change the playoff format.
“Golf is a fun game,” Scheffler said in a lengthy response. “You’re not going to get it right all the time – there’s no perfect system for playing a golf tournament that’s as entertaining as possible and attracts the best player every time.”
“In golf, it often happens that the person who plays the best doesn’t win once during the week. It’s a fickle game when it comes to small jumps. It’s a demanding sport. I’m open to suggestions. I still think 72 holes of stroke play is the best format for a golf tournament, but if a sponsor wants to come in and change it up a bit, then I’m happy to participate.”
Scheffler is coming off a rough week that saw him finish 33rd at the BMW Championship, only his second time finishing outside the top 10 since January. He will look to reset at East Lake Golf Club and treat the tournament like a normal golf tournament.
“Ultimately, I want to win the golf tournament we’re playing,” Scheffler said, “and right now I’m two strokes ahead, and that’s pretty cool.”
–Field level media
