Generally speaking, Scottie Scheffler might be accurate in labeling the FedEx Cup Playoffs as a “silly” culmination of a season-long points race. After all, it did grant the world's best player a two-stroke advantage for the Tour Championship.
On the other hand, the fact that Scheffler — after blowing the same advantage the previous two years at East Lake — ultimately cruised to a decisive win on Sunday (for another $25 million) is a perfectly apt capstone to a historic PGA Tour campaign.
Here's what happened in Atlanta on the final day of the PGA Tour season for dozens of the world's best golfers. (FedEx Cup Fall, on deck!)
Scottie Scheffler wins Tour Championship
Despite quality golf from Collin Morikawa (-26, 5-under 66 on Sunday), Sahith Theegala (-24, 64) and others, there was no catching Scheffler (-30).
Scheffler— who began the event at 10-under based on season results — held firm throughout the week, firing 65-66-66 through the first three rounds to bring a five-shot lead into Sunday. Consecutive bogeys on nos. 7 and 8 (including a shank) briefly opened the door for Morikawa, who was able to go birdie-par and cut the margin to three strokes at the turn.
But Scheffler's bounce-back ability has been a signature (and underrated) component of his 2024 success. In his final moment of semi-adversity of the year — he relied on his essential, unsung hero of the operation, caddie Ted Scott.
“9 was a huge turnaround,” Scheffler said about his ensuing 236-yard 4-iron that he stuffed within feet of the hole. “Teddy gave me a nice pep talk there on the back of 8 green because I kind of looked at him like, ‘Man, I don't know about this; this isn't looking so hot right now.' He kind of gave me a little pep talk and then I was able to hit a really nice iron shot in there and got things rolling.
“He really is a huge part of the team. I don't know if I'd be able to do any of this without him on my bag. We've got a great relationship. He has a habit of saying the right thing at the right time to kind of keep me in the right frame of mind.”
Sure enough, the World No. 1 made birdie on nos. 9, 10, and 11.
The dagger came via an eagle on the par-5 14th — capping a run of 6-under over five holes.
Despite a rare three-bogey final round, Scheffler closed with a 4-under 67 at the revamped East Lake.
“Right now I'm just pretty tired, so don't really know how to put this into words. But it's a pretty special feeling to be finally holding the trophy,” he said.
Fittingly, Morikawa's season ended with another close-but-no-cigar result. The 27-year-old was arguably the third-best player this season — he played in the final group of two majors and the FedEx Cup finale — yet failed to secure a win.
“Right after 8 it felt like anyone's game,” said Morikawa. “I knew he wasn't just going to come backwards and I still had to make a lot of birdies.”
Morikawa played East Lake at 19-under — the net lowest score of the event.
“I knew that was kind of the goal for the week, right, to come out on top on this kind of fake leaderboard and see how things played out.”
Scheffler's epic PGA Tour season
By any account, Scheffler — who also welcomed his first child and got arrested, let's not forget — produced one of the greatest seasons in PGA Tour history.
“I'm just proud of the work that we put in,” Scheffler said. “It's hard to put into words what this year has been like for me. It's been pretty emotional. There's been a lot of stuff that's gone on outside of golf. It's been a bit of a wild year.”
He joins Tiger Woods (four times) and Vijay Singh as the only golfers to notch seven PGA Tour victories in one year.
He led the PGA Tour in scoring average, birdie average, strokes gained: total, strokes gained: approach, strokes gained: tee-to-green, and greens-in-regulation percentage, to name a few.
He won four of the eight Signature Events (Arnold Palmer Invitational, RBC Heritage, Memorial, Travelers) and the Players Championship, the most lucrative events in the game. He earned record prize money ($62 million!), a green jacket, and a gold medal.
Not bad for a mediocre putter with terrible footwork.
“I feel like I've lived almost a full lifetime in this one year,” said Scheffler. “It's been nuts.”
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