“But I have a passion for winning. I despise losing.” Expressed Scottie Scheffler in a previous interview. He has consistently demonstrated that he is undeniably one of the top golfers (which is why he currently holds the title of world number one). He attained this position in the Official World Golf Ranking in March 2022 and has maintained his ranking for over 90 consecutive weeks. Additionally, he has now established a significant lead on the FedEx Cup list. Scheffler has an astonishing $27,696,858 in earnings, and if he were to secure the FedEx Cup victory, the amount would be beyond imagination.
He currently stands at 5,768 points, a whopping 2,511 points ahead of Xander Schauffele, who is in second place. Scheffler fell short in Atlanta for the past two years, failing to secure the FedEx Cup title. Viktor Hovland claimed the victory last year, while Rory McIlroy emerged as the champion in 2022. However, could 2024 be the year Scheffler takes the lead? Even if he accomplishes this exceptional feat, Scottie Scheffler is not particularly fond of the FedEx Cup format.
The FedEx Cup Playoffs underwent a system change in 2019. The number of tournaments was reduced from four to three (FedEx St. Jude Championship, BMW Championship, and Tour Championship). Throughout the season, players earn FedEx Cup points based on their performance in PGA Tour Events. The top 70 players qualify for the playoffs. When asked if winning the FedEx Cup is his main goal after the practice round of the Tour Championship last year, Scheffler expressed his disapproval.
Scottie Scheffler just made a critical remark about the FedEx Cup! What are your thoughts?
“This tournament is a bit peculiar because there are starting strokes now, and, well, I wouldn’t say that it is the most effective format for determining the best golfer of the year,” he stated. Last year, Jon Rahm competed at the Memphis tournament and tied for 37th place. Prior to that, he was among the top golfers on the PGA Tour, but his participation did not make him eligible for FedEx Cup points. He finished fifth in 2022, yet the playoffs proved to be a disadvantage for him. “Jon Rahm played exceptional golf this year, arguably better than anyone else, and he’s entering this tournament in fourth place, trailing by four shots. In theory, he could have won 20 times this year and still only have a two-shot lead,” Scheffler added.
He went on to explain how the format is primarily designed to cater to the fans and generate high ratings. However, according to him, it is not the most accurate way to determine who performed the best throughout the season. Winning the FedEx Cup standings this year will undoubtedly result in a substantial amount of money for him, and the current world number one is already looking forward to that. Nevertheless, at last year’s press conference, he even stated, “But as players, I don’t think it’s the most reliable indicator of who played the best throughout the year. But having said that, I’m starting this week with a two-shot lead, and, well, I’m not complaining about it. It’s quite nice.”
Scottie Scheffler is not the sole individual who appears to have an issue with the format of the FedEx Cup. Numerous players, including Jon Rahm and Lucas Glover, seem to be dissatisfied with it.
Lucas Glover made it abundantly clear before the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis last year that he was displeased with the alterations made to the previous format. The circuit reduced the number of players advancing to the finals from 125 to 70. This resulted in a lot of heated reactions among players who had previously qualified under the old system.
The winner of the 2009 US Open immediately criticized the change, deeming it a foolish decision. In an interview with Golfweek, he expressed, “It feels like the genie is out of the bottle. Some of the individuals who advocated for 70 are now retracting their statements. I’m not sure if it’s because they find themselves outside the top 70 or if they realize it’s rather nonsensical. We boast about being the premier Tour in the world, so why wouldn’t you reward the top 125 individuals and allow them to compete in your most significant events?”
Photo from : Scottie Scheffler instagram
