There is no question that Scottie Scheffler is going to be the man to beat at the Tour Championship, with the world number one winning for the fifth time this season at the BMW Championship last week.
It goes without saying that Scottie Scheffler is the player who will suffer the most as the Tour Championship gets rid of starting strokes this year. Scheffler would have started at 10 under par, two shots clear of anyone else in previous seasons.
That advantage proved to be crucial last year as Scheffler held off Collin Morikawa at East Lake. Morikawa shot the lowest gross score 12 months ago.
Having said that, it is hard to see how anyone stops Scheffler this time around. He has won five times in his last 10 starts. Meanwhile, you would have to go back to the 2024 BMW Championship for the last time Scheffler finished outside the top 30 in any event.
Harris English amazed by what Scottie Scheffler was doing before the Tour Championship
Scheffler’s dominance has not happened by accident. It is remarkable how easy the 29-year-old makes everything look. But it appears that he also has an incredible work ethic.
Speaking on 5 Clubs about how the game has changed since he started out on tour, Harris English outlined what Scheffler has done this week which has really impressed him.
“It’s so different. I remember in my first few years on tour, I wouldn’t say guys took it as serious as they do now. Just yesterday, the workout trailer opens at 7am and who’s the first person in the workout trailer? It’s Scottie Scheffler. That’s really cool for me to see. This is the best player in the world, he’s been the best player in the world for a long time now, and he’s working his tail off. He’s the first player here getting ready to play at East Lake, trying to win the event. He just came off an unbelievable performance at Caves Valley and he never lets up. He never relaxes. He’s relentless in the way he works and the way he prepares,” he said.
“And that inspires me to get better and to really tighten down my habits and my systems. Hey, if I want to compete with this guy, if I want to beat this guy, I’ve got to work just as hard or harder than he is. It’s really hard to outwork him. It’s a really cool culture now on tour. You see a lot more guys working out. Guys are way more diligent in their practice and methodical about how they’re getting round the golf course. It’s really cool to see that evolve. I’ve been on tour now for 14 years and I feel like I’m one of the older guys now, but it’s really cool to see that evolve.”
Scottie Scheffler’s record at the Tour Championship
Unsurprisingly, Scheffler’s record at the Tour Championship is a superb one. As well as winning last year, he has finished in the top six in four of his five appearances in the event.
All of Scheffler’s appearances at the Tour Championship have come in the starting strokes era. So this year will be a little different for him.
| Year | Scottie Scheffler’s Tour Championship result |
| 2020 | 5th |
| 2021 | T22nd |
| 2022 | T2nd |
| 2023 | T6th |
| 2024 | 1st |
His victory last year suggests that the changes to East Lake following the 2023 event will not negatively impact his chances of success this week.
It would certainly not surprise anyone if Scheffler left Atlanta with a sixth victory under his belt this year.
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