Scottie Scheffler wins 2nd FedEx Cup title, passes Tiger Woods on money list
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Scottie Scheffler all smiles with his trophy after the American came from behind to clinch the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta on Aug 30.
PHOTO: AFP
ATLANTA – Scottie Scheffler has joined elite company.
Tiger Woods. Rory McIlroy. Scheffler. That’s it. That’s the list.
The 30-year-old joined golf royalty as the third player to win multiple FedEx Cup championships, after he came from behind to capture the Tour Championship in the play-off finale on Aug 30 at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
Scheffler outduelled Norway’s Viktor Hovland, who was also attempting to join the elusive club.
The world No. 1 shot a four-under 66 to finish on 16-under 264, three shots ahead of the Norwegian. It was his second Tour Championship victory in three years after his triumph in 2024.
Hovland, the 2023 champion, could not hold a one-stroke lead heading into the final round on Aug 30. He shot two-over 72 to finish alone in second at 13 under.
McIlroy won the FedEx Cup three times (2016, 2019, 2022) and Woods claimed it twice (2007, 2009).
Scheffler overtook Woods for the top spot on the PGA Tour’s career money list. With the US$10 million (S$12.7 million) first prize, he now stands at the top with US$130,390,661.
“I felt like my thought process going into the post-season this year was, I felt like maybe I’ve underperformed in some of the post-seasons in the past,” he said. “I think of years like ’22 and ’23 where I had a lead at this tournament and wasn’t able to win the FedEx Cup or a play-off event those years.
“To come in this year maybe not winning the tournaments that I could have won throughout the regular season, to come in and win two out of three play-off events is definitely a nice way to finish off the season.”
Simply, Scheffler took the championship by matching the low round of the day.
Back and forth he battled with Hovland who, at 15 under, led him by three strokes going into the final round.
The American started strong by hitting his tee shot on the par-three second hole to two inches. The birdie moved him two strokes behind the Norwegian before the leader even teed off.
Scheffler then birdied the fourth to tie for the lead at 14 under, after the first-round leader bogeyed his opening hole. He made a birdie at the 13th to move to 16 under and take the solo lead for the first time, and went on to close out the victory.
“The start was really challenging,” he said. “I felt like I could move in pretty quickly if I got off to a good start today. And that was the case.
“It’s more challenging not being in control of the tournament. To get off to a good start and then those guys getting off to a bit of a slow start really put me right in the tournament early.”
Scheffler moves closer to the Player of the Year award with his third win, including two in the play-offs, and 10 top-three finishes.
How do you celebrate such a historic victory? With a cheeseburger and fries. And a beer.
“I had a beer for the first time in a long time,” Scheffler said. “It just sounded good. There was an open bar inside, and I’m like, ‘All right, I’m grabbing a beer’. It tasted great.” REUTERS
