Scottie Scheffler in pole for FedExCup title at Tour Championship
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Scottie Scheffler makes his approach shot to the 16th green during the first round of the 2024 Tour Championship.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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ATLANTA – As usual, the best players on the PGA Tour are looking up at Scottie Scheffler.
The world No. 1 swiftly put himself in a commanding position at the Tour Championship, the finale to the PGA Tour’s FedExCup play-offs, with his six-under 65 giving him a seven-shot first-round lead on Aug 29.
Under the format for the play-off final, designed to reward players for their position in the FedExCup standings, Scheffler started the day at East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta, on 10 under, combining with his opening round to place him at the top on 16 under.
His closest challengers in a tie for second are Collin Morikawa, who shot a four-under 66 to move to nine under, and Xander Schauffele, who began on eight under and shot a one-under 70.
Masters champion Scheffler let his advantage slip by a shot on the first hole, where he made a bogey, but that was the only blemish on his scorecard as he ended the day with seven birdies.
“I’m trying not to think much about the starting strokes stuff,” said the 28-year-old American.
“I think it’s still a bit weird with it not being a traditional event. But it was nice to get off to a good start in the first round.”
During the previous two years, he had come into this tournament with a lead, but had been unable to close out and clinch the Cup – now he is trying to play the event as if it was a regular 72-hole competition.
“Treating it like I would any other tournament, just staying in my lane and doing the things I’m good at, trying to focus on the task at hand and let all the other stuff take care of itself,” he added.
Scheffler had said before the tournament that the key at East Lake was to keep the ball on the fairways, given the rough would make it tough to control the ball into the firm, new greens.
That point was proven by fellow American Schauffele, the PGA Championship and British Open winner this season, who made three birdies and two bogeys mainly due to his wayward driving.
“Kind of hit it in the rough a lot, and with brand new greens, I think I scored okay actually for how bad I hit it. But yeah, overall it was kind of a ‘meh’ day,” he said. “Scottie was almost in every fairway it looked like. If you’re in the fairway you can attack this golf course.”
If anyone is going to push Scheffler to the wire, evidence suggests that it could be Morikawa, who made six straight birdies from the 10th hole onwards.
“I’m going to use that back nine to hopefully push myself the next three days,” the two-time Major champion said. AFP, REUTERS
