Scheffler's Comeback Victory at East Lake
Scottie Scheffler won his second FedEx Cup title on Aug 30 at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, overtaking Viktor Hovland with a final-round charge to claim the US$10 million first prize. The world No. 1 shot a four-under 66 to finish on 16-under 264, three strokes clear of the Norwegian, who carded a two-over 72 after carrying a one-shot lead into the final round.
The victory placed Scheffler in exclusive company. As reported by The Straits Times, he became the third player to win multiple FedEx Cup championships, joining Tiger Woods (2007, 2009) and Rory McIlroy (2016, 2019, 2022).
With the win, Scheffler also moved past Woods atop the PGA Tour's career money list Ratio. According to The Straits Times, Scheffler now stands at US$130,390,661 in career earnings after collecting the US$10 million first prize.
A Change in Format and a Lingering Annoyance
The 2024 Tour Championship, which Scheffler also won, was played under a format that has since been revised. Yardbarker reported that the tournament had been played as a standalone event for the previous two seasons, with the six editions before that featuring staggered starting scores based on season standings.
In 2024, Scheffler began the event at 10 under par, a significant advantage that helped him secure the title despite not registering the week's lowest score — Collin Morikawa shot the lowest round of the event.
The format has since changed again, and Scheffler, speaking after this year's win, expressed lingering frustration about how his 2024 title was earned. He told reporters he was glad the starting-strokes format was removed, saying the current format feels more like a genuine tournament victory.
"I'm glad the format changed," Scheffler said, according to Yardbarker. He added that he believes "winning with the lowest score is a lot more of an accomplishment." The two-time FedEx Cup champion said the old system still "bugs" him, noting that the 2024 win did not sit right with him because he did not shoot the best score.
"That's something that still bugs me to this day," Scheffler said, according to the same report. "ctu2024 didn't really sit right with me because I didn't shoot the lowest score."
Celebrating and Reflecting
Following Sunday's victory, Scheffler said he marked the occasion by having a beer for the first time in a long while. He also reflected on his post-season performances across multiple years, acknowledging that he felt he had underperformed in some previous Tour Championship appearances.
During the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Scheffler said he arrived at the Tour Championship holding the lead but failed to close out the FedEx Cup. That history, he said, made this year's result particularly satisfying.
In his comments to reporters, Scheffler credited his mental approach and his ability to stay focused through the final round at East Lake. The win was his second FedEx Cup title in three years, cementing his status among the most successful players of his generation, alongside the likes of Woods and McIlroy at the top of the tour's all-time earners list.
With the victory, Scheffler's career earnings now stand at more than US$130 million, a tally that moved him past Woods on the PGA Tour's career money list. The achievement adds another milestone to a season that has seen the 30-year-old maintain his position as the world's top-ranked golfer.