Aug 23, 2024; Citadel Rock, Colorado, USA; Scottie Scheffler after making a putt on the fifteenth gap throughout the second spherical of the BMW Championship golf event at Citadel Pines Golf Membership. Necessary Credit score: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports activities There is not something Scottie Scheffler can do in regards to the Tour Championship’s format, at the very least not for this 12 months.
For all of the instances Scheffler has been requested if he thinks the season finale’s “staggered scoring begin” is a good methodology to assist resolve the FedEx Cup winner, he has remained constant in his response: It could be imperfect, however it should not matter when you’re enjoying your finest on the finish of the season.
Scheffler shall be gunning for his first FedEx Cup title this week in Atlanta, the place he begins the Tour Championship with a two-stroke benefit on the sector.
“On the finish of the day, when you play adequate golf, it would care for itself,” Scheffler stated Tuesday.
Many have questioned if a two-shot head begin totally rewards a participant who had the type of season Scheffler had. The World No. 1 gained six tournaments, together with the Masters and the Gamers Championship, and added an Olympic gold medal for good measure, although that is not a PGA Tour-sanctioned occasion.
Scheffler begins at 10 beneath par Thursday and Xander Schauffele at 8 beneath, although Scheffler garnered greater than 1,000 extra FedEx Cup factors than Schauffele. Because the format modified in 2019, no person to start out the Tour Championship atop the leaderboard went on to win the cup.
However Scheffler, a Texas native, drew parallels to how playoffs work in different American sports activities.
“It is just like the Cowboys have had nice common seasons the previous couple of years and left me heartbroken within the playoffs,” Scheffler stated. “However golf is a special sport. There’s so many alternative voices and ways in which you are able to do it. I am not sitting right here saying I’ve the crystal ball and I do know what’s finest.
“Golden State Warriors, finest common season ever they usually lose within the Finals. It occurs.”
Scheffler was requested if he could be on board if one of many PGA Tour’s new sponsors from the Strategic Sports activities Group provided a radical thought to vary the playoff format.
“Golf is a humorous sport,” Scheffler stated as a part of a prolonged reply. “You are not at all times going to — there is no excellent system as a way to play a golf event that is essentially the most entertaining product and likewise the product that will get the very best participant every time.
“Quite a lot of instances in golf the man that performs the very best could not even win that week. By way of little bounces, it is a fickle sport. It is a difficult sport. I am open to strategies. I do nonetheless suppose that 72 holes of stroke play is the very best format for a golf event, but when a sponsor needs to come back in and alter it up somewhat bit, I really like competing.”
Scheffler is coming off a tricky week the place he tied for thirty third on the BMW Championship, simply his second end exterior the highest 10 since January. He’ll attempt to reset at East Lake Golf Membership and deal with it like a traditional golf event.
“On the finish of the day, I wish to win the golf event we’re enjoying,” Scheffler stated, “and proper now I’ve a two-stroke lead, and that is fairly cool.”
–Subject Stage Media