For all his dominance in 2024, Scottie Scheffler can be toppled by the likes of Rory McIlroy in the PGA Tour play-offs – which unsurprisingly splits their opinions of the format
Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler have differing views on the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup (
Image: Getty Images)
The PGA Tour ‘s play-offs have completely divided opinion between Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler has been by far and away the best PGA golfer this year. But the world No. 1’s six victories in 2024 only give him a shots-based advantage in the three tournaments, which determine the Tour champion.
The top 50 in the FedEx Cup points standings after the St. Jude Championship this weekend will advance to next week’s BMW Championship, where that number will be whittled down to 30 for the concluding Tour Championship.
With 5,993 points, Scheffler is nearly 2,000 points ahead of closest rival Xander Schauffele on 4,057, and he’s got more than double McIlroy’s 2,545. But they’ve got a chance to catch up to him on the course, with the final winner of the FedEx Cup season claiming the trophy.
Bryson DeChambeau’s statement speaks volumes about LIV Golf aims
Ian Poulter sends brutal message to PGA Tour as LIV Golf loyalties clear
Given his dominance, Scheffler isn’t a fan of how it’s decided. “I talked about it the last few years. I think it’s silly,” he said. “You can’t call it a season-long race and have it come down to one tournament. Hypothetically, we get to East Lake (host of the Tour Championship) and my neck flares up and it doesn’t heal the way it did at The Players.
“I finish 30th in the FedExCup because I had to withdraw from the last tournament, is that really the season-long race? No. It’s a fun tournament. 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.”
Barring any issues, Scheffler will start the Tour Championship on 10 under, at least two better than anyone else. But that hasn’t helped him triumph in the last two years. In 2022, he threw away a six-stroke lead and allowed McIlroy to claim a record third FedEx Cup.
Last year, he shot just one under overall and was 16 behind the champion Viktor Hovland. Scheffler’s frustration is likely heightened by the huge money on offer for the winner – $25million (£19m), which is not far off his record-breaking total earnings this year in excess of $28m (£22m).
McIlroy, on the other hand, is a fan. “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,” he admitted. “So I really like this format. I think it makes the Tour Championship more exciting from a consumer standpoint.
“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.”
