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Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Writer
World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler arrived at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, this week with a newly won Olympic gold medal around his neck.
But as the PGA Tour’s three-event playoff starts Thursday at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, Scheffler was asked about the trophy that has eluded him so far in what has otherwise been a stellar career: the FedEx Cup.
Based on his season-long performance, Scheffler started each of the past two Tour Championships at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta at 10 under in starting strokes, at least 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. Last year, Scheffler started at 10 under and went just 1 under over 72 holes on his own. He tied for sixth at 11 under, 16 strokes behind winner Viktor Hovland.
It’s no wonder Scheffler, a two-time Masters champion, isn’t particularly fond of the tour’s playoff format.
“I talked about it the last few years, I think it’s silly,” Scheffler said Wednesday during a news conference at TPC Southwind. “You can’t call it a season-long race and have it come down to one tournament.
“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.”
McIlroy, who has won the FedEx Cup a record three times, likes the format because it gives everyone else a chance to try to catch Scheffler over the next 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 nearly 2,000-point lead over Xander Schauffele (4,057) and more 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 have a chance against Scottie because he’s so far ahead,” McIlroy said. “So I really like this format.”
McIlroy acknowledges that the Tour Championship probably isn’t the fairest way to determine the tour’s season-long champion. But he says it’s probably the best way to make the season-ending tournament interesting for fans.
“I think it makes the Tour Championship more exciting from a consumer standpoint,” McIlroy said. “Is it the fairest reflection of who’s been the best player of the year? Probably not. 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.”
There will be two FedEx Cup playoff events played before the Tour Championship. Scheffler has played well just about everywhere over the past three seasons, but his results haven’t been great at TPC Southwind.
Scheffler doesn’t have a top-10 finish in six starts. He missed the cut in 2022 and tied for 31st at 6 under last season.
“It’s hard for me to remember the last few years,” Scheffler said. “Scores are typically low here, and I just haven’t really shot that low. Why that is, some years I didn’t hit it good, some years I didn’t putt it good. Like I said, I feel like it’s a golf course that should suit me. It’s not super wide. You’ve got to hit good shots. Bermuda greens is what I grew up on.”
The top 50 golfers in the FedEx Cup points standings after the FedEx St. Jude Championship will advance to next week’s BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colorado. It’s the tour’s first stop at that course since 2006.
The top 30 golfers after the first two legs of the FedEx Cup playoffs will compete in the Tour Championship, where Scheffler figures to once again start with a lead.
“It’s a fun tournament,” Scheffler said. “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.”