Xander Schauffele suggests the PGA Tour have made a change which really may not suit him

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The Tour Championship returns to East Lake next week, and the FedEx Cup top 30 will face a very different challenge to what they did 12 months ago.

Since Viktor Hovland won the 2023 Tour Championship, the famous Atlanta venue has undergone extensive renovations overseen by course designer Andrew Green.

One player who has thrived at East Lake previously is Xander Schauffele. Currently sitting second in the FedEx Cup standings, Schauffele will be looking to finally land golf’s most lucrative prize to his impressive resume.

Now, the American has been discussing the renovations made ahead of the PGA Tour finale, and he’s not particularly excited.

Xander Schauffele wanted East Lake to remain the same ahead of the Tour Championship

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Scottie Scheffler claimed he’s pleased to see changes made to East Lake, partly due to his previous struggles and Schauffele’s fine form at the venue.

The reigning Open champion has since had his say on the renovations.

“I mean, I would have obviously loved if it just stayed the same,” Schauffele explained. “I’ve played really well there. I thought the course was amazing.

“Typically, when something is amazing, it’s hard to make it better, just like our golf games. I’m curious to see how the course — how Green did next week, and regardless if I make it less, it doesn’t really matter; I still have to go and compete.”

Tour Championship: Big changes made to East Lake

Despite a large-scale renovation taking place, the course layout hasn’t been dramatically altered.

The most significant difference will be noticed around the greens and the bunkers. The sand traps are now sharper around the top edge, which provides a new challenge for those who find themselves close to the face.

As for the putting surfaces, larger TifEagle Bermuda grass has been used. The greens impacted will sit lower to their surroundings and provide more options for hole locations.

The par-four 17th now includes a split fairway, which will entice the longer hitters to land the ball on the left half and take on the vast bunkers between the short grass.

Only 100 yards have been added to the course yardage since the 2023 edition, although East Lake will now play as a par 71, with the 14th reverting back to a par five.