Scottie Scheffler calls PGA Tour’s playoff format ‘foolish’

World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler arrived at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, this week with a newly received Olympic gold medal round his neck.

However because the PGA Tour’s three-event playoff begins Thursday on the FedEx St. Jude Championship, Scheffler was requested in regards to the trophy that has eluded him thus far in what has in any other case been a stellar profession: the FedEx Cup.

Based mostly on his season-long efficiency, Scheffler began every of the previous two Tour Championships at East Lake Golf Membership in Atlanta at 10 underneath in beginning strokes, at the least two pictures higher than anybody else.

In 2022, Scheffler squandered a six-stroke lead by carding a 3-over 73 within the closing spherical and misplaced to Rory McIlroy by one. Final yr, Scheffler began at 10 underneath and went simply 1 underneath over 72 holes on his personal. He tied for sixth at 11 underneath, 16 strokes behind winner Viktor Hovland.

It is no surprise Scheffler, a two-time Masters champion, is not notably keen on the tour’s playoff format.

“I talked about it the previous couple of years, I believe it is foolish,” Scheffler mentioned Wednesday throughout a information convention at TPC Southwind. “You may’t name it a season-long race and have it come down to 1 event.

“Hypothetically, we get to East Lake and my neck flares up and it does not heal the best way it did on the Gamers. I end thirtieth within the FedEx Cup as a result of I needed to withdraw from the final event? Is that actually the season-long race? No, it’s what it’s.”

McIlroy, who has received the FedEx Cup a file thrice, likes the format as a result of it provides everybody else an opportunity to attempt to catch Scheffler over the subsequent three weeks.

With six victories, together with in 4 of the eight signature occasions that awarded elevated FedEx Cup factors, Scheffler has 5,993 factors. He has an almost 2,000-point lead over Xander Schauffele (4,057) and greater than twice as many factors as McIlroy (2,545).

“I really like this format as a result of if it wasn’t this format, then none of us would have an opportunity towards Scottie as a result of he is thus far forward,” McIlroy mentioned. “So I actually like this format.”

McIlroy acknowledges that the Tour Championship in all probability is not the fairest strategy to decide the tour’s season-long champion. However he says it is in all probability one of the simplest ways to make the season-ending event fascinating for followers.

“I believe it makes the Tour Championship extra thrilling from a client standpoint,” McIlroy mentioned. “Is it the fairest reflection of who’s been the very best participant of the yr? Most likely not. However I believe at this level we’re not in for completely truthful; we’re in for leisure and for making an attempt to placed on the very best product we presumably can.”

There can be two FedEx Cup playoff occasions performed earlier than the Tour Championship. Scheffler has performed properly nearly in every single place over the previous three seasons, however his outcomes have not been nice at TPC Southwind.

Scheffler does not have a top-10 end in six begins. He missed the lower in 2022 and tied for thirty first at 6 underneath final season.

“It is exhausting for me to recollect the previous couple of years,” Scheffler mentioned. “Scores are sometimes low right here, and I simply have not actually shot that low. Why that’s, some years I did not hit it good, some years I did not putt it good. Like I mentioned, I really feel prefer it’s a golf course that ought to go well with me. It isn’t tremendous vast. You have to hit good pictures. Bermuda greens is what I grew up on.”

The highest 50 golfers within the FedEx Cup factors standings after the FedEx St. Jude Championship will advance to subsequent week’s BMW Championship at Fortress Pines Golf Membership in Fortress Rock, Colorado. It is the tour’s first cease at that course since 2006.

The highest 30 golfers after the primary two legs of the FedEx Cup playoffs will compete within the Tour Championship, the place Scheffler figures to as soon as once more begin with a lead.

“It is a enjoyable event,” Scheffler mentioned. “I do not actually think about it the season-long race like I believe the best way it is known as. However you have to work out a strategy to strike a stability between it being a superb TV product and it nonetheless being a season-long race.

“Proper now, I do not know precisely how the rankings are or something like that, however I do know for a truth you’ll be able to’t actually fairly name it the season-long race when it comes down to 1 stroke-play event on the identical golf course annually.”