ATLANTA – World’s No. 1 golfer Scotty Schaeffler will not start this week’s Tour Championship with a two-stroke lead on the field, as he did last season before winning his first FedEx Cup.
With the PGA Tour being discontinued with the start stroke of the season-ending championship, Schaeffler will start further with par, like the other 29 golfers on the field.
“I don’t think I’ll have a punching bag for me anymore at the end of the year,” Schaeffler joked Wednesday.
“I wasn’t a fan of it,” he added. “For a variety of reasons, I didn’t think it was a good way to finish the year. I’m much more pleased with this format. I think it’s very important to have a really good golf tournament on a really good golf course to finish the season.”
Last year, Schaeffler began the tour championship at 10 under. He himself beats two-time major champion Morikawa with four strokes, over 72 holes at 20 under.
Schaeffler suggested that winning would be even more difficult by gaining a lead on the field before the tournament began.
Before last season’s tour championship, Schaeffler caddy Ted Scott told him he had been sleeping on the lead since February as he led the FedEx Cup Points rankings throughout the season after winning six times in front of Eastlake.
“I was leading the whole year in the FedEx Cup, and it all came down to a four-day tournament on the golf course. “It was a challenging week. It was a stressful day.”
Two years ago, Schaeffler wasted a six-stroke lead in the final round, losing to Rory McIlroy on a one stroke at East Lake.
“It just irritated me,” Schaeffler said. “(Former NBA coach) Phil Jackson (WHO) said, “You just succeeded while you were doing something that was successful.” It ended a year like, “Hey, sorry how it ended,” and I finished with a really bad finish.
“It was like, ‘What do you know, guy? I won the Masters this year and several other tournaments. It was a pretty good year.”
Schaeffler has already raised a $23 million bonus this season. Eastlake costs another $40 million. This includes $10 million to the winner.
The four-time major champion has won five times in his last 10 starts, including last week’s BMW Championship at the Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland.
What keeps him motivated to continue winning? Schaeffler said showing up every week was a stolen from the only round he played for 15-time major champion Tiger Woods.
In the final round of Masters in 2020, Schaeffler played with Woods and Ireland’s Shane Raleigh. Woods is famous for making 10 on the 12th of the par 3. He made a 4-over 76 card with birdies on five of his final six holes.
“What is this guy still playing for? He won the Masters four or five times,” Scheffler said. “The best finish he has appears to be in 20th at this point.”
Woods ultimately tied for 38th place with 1 under. Schaeffler placed 19th in his Masters debut with a 6-under.
“I admired the strength he brought to each round, and that’s what I’m trying to emulate,” Schaeffler said. “Playing a golf tournament is not easy. If you’re going to take a week off, maybe you’re just staying home. I’m not going to come here to take a week off. If you’re playing in a tournament, I’ll give it all.
