The 2022-23 PGA Tour season will come to an end this week at East Lake Golf Country Club with the conclusion of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. The top 30 players will be competing for the right to be called the champion of the playoffs and among those vying for the title is Xander Schauffele, who will start the tournament at 3-under par.

The Tour Championship is supposed to be getting all the attention and the hype from golf fans, but that's not the energy Schauffele. For him, it has something to do with the persistent confusion about the format and how the entire playoffs work.

“I still believe that when I talk to some friends and people they still feel like a little confused on how it all happens,” Xander Schauffele said (h/t Field Level Media). “I think this is supposed to be like our most important event all year. It kind of comes down to this moment. And, like, for people to be like a little bit confused, it's still not a finished product to me in that sense.”

Since 2019, the Tour Championship has followed the “starting strokes” format which basically assigns a given starting score for each player ahead of the event itself. The player with the most points in the FedEx Cup standings will kick off the tournament at 10 under par. The player with the second most points will be eight under par, while the third will be 7 under par. At the very least, a player will start at even par.

Article Continues Below
More Golf News
All Active Locker Codes for PGA Tour 2K25
All Active Locker Codes for PGA Tour 2K25Massimo Marchiano ·
Scottie Scheffler holds the trophy on hole No. 18 after the final round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Course on Sunday, June 1, 2025 in Dublin, Ohio.
Wife’s support has Scottie Scheffler choking up after Memorial Tour winNathan Yasis ·
Maja Stark tees off the 1st hole during the final round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament.
Maja Stark fends off Nelly Korda charge to take US Women’s OpenChristopher Hennessy ·
Scottie Scheffler tees off on two during the final round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club
Scottie Scheffler joins Tiger Woods again after win at The MemorialChristopher Hennessy ·
Justin Rose hits his second shot on 18 during the first round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin
PGA Tour star shaves off 10 strokes at Memorial into contentionKendall Capps ·
Scottie Scheffler reacts after making his putt on the 14th green during the second round of the Memorial Tournament
Scottie Scheffler has hilarious Mavericks thought at The MemorialKendall Capps ·

For the 2023 edition of the Tour Championship, Scottie Scheffler will be the one enjoying a two-stroke advantage to start the event, thanks to his field-leading 4,218 FedEx Cup points. Viktor Hovland, fresh off of a win in the 2023 BMW Championship last week, will be eight under par, while Rory McIlroy is third with seven under par.

As for Xander Schauffele, who has 1,885 points (good for 15th overall), he will start at three under par just like Tommy Fleetwood, Russell Henley, Keegan Bradley, and Rickie Fowler.

The Tour Championship winner will receive not just recognition but a total of $18 million in bonus.