ATLANTA — Scottie Scheffler has defined earlier than that he doesn’t just like the FedEx Cup Playoff format. Nor does he applaud the handicapped system employed by the Tour Championship.
Perhaps it’s as a result of he has arrived at East Lake for the previous two years as the highest participant, starting at 10-under par and holding a two-shot benefit, however has not sealed the deal. Nor has he acquired the now $25 million that comes with a FedEx Cup title. However Scheffler is the person to beat once more and can begin Thursday’s first spherical at 10-under for the third straight season.
Type of like his beloved Dallas Cowboys, who’ve gained the NFC East in two of the previous three seasons however haven’t made it to the NFC Championship recreation since 1995.
“It’s just like the Cowboys have had nice common seasons the previous few years and left me heartbroken within the playoffs,” Scheffler joked Tuesday.
“However golf is a special sport… By way of the season-long race, it’s possibly not at all times going to be the man that performs the very best the entire season; [whoever wins the FedEx Cup is] going to be the man that performs the very best in these playoff occasions. That’s actually what you’re figuring out: the man that performs the very best in these final three occasions.”
Scheffler stays atop the FedEx Cup rankings regardless of his latest T-33 on the BMW Championship at Fort Pines in Colorado. However he deserves to sit down within the high place due to his six wins and 15 top-10 finishes this season. He has been the very best participant on the planet since mid-March when he gained at Bay Hill and TPC Sawgrass in back-to-back weeks.
Regardless, the playoffs are totally different.
“Golden State Warriors, finest common season ever, they usually lose within the Finals. It occurs,” Scheffler added, drawing on one other professional sports activities analogy.
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“You take a look at a man like Keegan Bradley, who confirmed up final week, had a terrific week, and gained the event, and now, impulsively, he goes from not being in East Lake to having a very, actually nice likelihood to win the FedEx Cup. It’s a cool system in that sense. It goes much more in-depth than simply figuring out the very best participant for your entire season, and in lots of different main sports activities, the very best staff doesn’t at all times win.”
Bradley went from worst to first, from fiftieth within the standings to successful at Fort Pines. Subsequent yr’s Ryder Cup captain now arrives at East Lake fourth within the rankings, and can start the Tour Championship at 6-under, 4 strokes again of Scheffler.
But, for Scheffler’s sake—and different PGA Tour execs, for that matter—the FedEx Cup Playoffs don’t come near carrying the load of the 4 majors. Main championships imply all the pieces to a participant and their legacy. Simply ask Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
“I don’t know if the FedExCup is the equal of our Tremendous Bowl, however financially, I’d say sure,” Scheffler stated, referencing this week’s $100 million purse.
“However by way of historical past within the recreation, possibly not. You’ll need to ask the gamers. However on the finish of the day, I need to win the golf event we’re enjoying, and proper now, I’ve a two-stroke lead, and that’s fairly cool.”
Nonetheless, Scheffler is just not a fan of the present format. He even stated he preferred the earlier format, as two winners typically emerged at East Lake: the Tour Champion and the FedEx Cup champion.
However the World No. 1 nonetheless offered a refreshing perspective, contemplating the followers, in his method.
“It supplies a bit little bit of volatility, which is nice for the followers, and I believe it’s additionally good for some gamers that didn’t have their finest years main as much as get into the Playoffs, and impulsively flip a yr that’s not their finest into considerably of a profession yr by way of successful the FedExCup,” Scheffler stated.
“Quite a lot of volatility, however on the finish of the day, golf is golf. The simplest approach to resolve a problem you don’t like in golf is to play higher. That’s actually all it comes right down to in our recreation. On the finish of the day, for those who play ok golf, it should care for itself.”
Profitable at all times takes care of itself, irrespective of the game. The noise goes away as championships matter greater than something in skilled sports activities. Simply ask Scheffler about what he did at Augusta Nationwide in 2022 and 2024. Or the Dallas Cowboys within the Nineties.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. You’ll want to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.
