Scottie Scheffler: The Final Push for FedExCup Glory Amid Season's Wear and Tear

By: Brooks Latta | 08/27/2024

Scottie Scheffler’s Pursuit of a Historic Season

Scottie Scheffler enters the TOUR Championship with a level of anticipation few players ever experience. For the third consecutive year, he starts the tournament as the FedExCup leader—a feat unmatched in the history of the format. This season, Scheffler has claimed six victories, including major wins at the Masters and THE PLAYERS Championship. A win at the TOUR Championship would secure his first FedExCup title and mark his seventh victory of the year, putting him in rarefied air alongside legends like Tiger Woods, who last achieved such dominance in 2007.

A New Challenge at East Lake

Despite his impressive credentials, Scheffler faces a daunting task at East Lake Golf Club. The course has never been his favorite, and recent changes to its layout might not work in his favor. Scheffler, known for his precision iron play, has shown signs of wear as the season grinds on. At the BMW Championship, his usually sharp distance control faltered, hinting at the toll a long and condensed season has taken on his game.

The TOUR Championship, with its unique FedExCup Starting Strokes format, has seen leaders falter in the past. Scheffler himself knows this all too well—he led by significant margins in previous years only to finish T2 in 2022 and T6 in 2023. This year, the stakes are even higher, and the pressure is palpable.

Since the introduction of the FedExCup Starting Strokes format in 2019, only two players have managed to win the FedExCup after starting the TOUR Championship as the leader: Dustin Johnson in 2020 and Patrick Cantlay in 2021.

Is Motivation Enough?

Scheffler’s motivation is unquestionable. He’s fully aware that winning the FedExCup would cement his status as the player of the year and potentially as one of the best in recent PGA Tour history. Yet, the challenges ahead are numerous. The course changes, the toll of a demanding season, and the pressure of leading the standings for the third straight year all contribute to the uncertainty.

His performance at East Lake will not only determine whether he can finally capture the FedExCup but also whether he can cap off a season that has already been one for the ages. As the final leg of the FedExCup Playoffs unfolds, all eyes will be on Scheffler to see if he can overcome the obstacles and add the elusive Cup to his resume.