Scheffler’s dominance, ‘foolish’ Playoffs format

Verify in each week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the most well liked subjects within the sport, and be a part of the dialog by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we talk about the Tour Championship format, Scottie Scheffler’s dominance and the U.S. Presidents Cup group picks.

1. A few weeks after calling the format of the FedEx Cup Playoffs “foolish,” World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler took benefit of his head begin and cruised at East Lake, ending 30 below to win by 4 over Collin Morikawa. It was the third straight 12 months he entered the Tour Championship main the FedEx Cup standings, however his first win. Did Scheffler’s runaway victory show the format is anticlimactic and in want of a repair, or did it correctly reward him for starting the match with a head begin since he was the perfect participant all 12 months?

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): I feel Scheffler successful this 33.3 % of the time he’s entered the Tour Championship because the FedEx Cup chief proves it’s random sufficient to work and the mathematics sort of checks out — however that also doesn’t imply it’s an excellent system. The format stays wonky and unnecessarily difficult. I do know the disadvantage of incorporating match play into all of it means some massive names might miss out on the weekend and harm rankings, however wouldn’t it actually be worse than an end-of-the-year occasion happening with staggered begins? Closing level: Match play is nice theater, and golf followers already get too little of it on the professional degree.

Jack Hirsh, assistant editor (@JR_HIRSHey): I wrote concerning the format final 12 months a few instances and I feel we have to have a look at the champions and ask ourselves, are the correct folks successful this factor? The reply is 100% sure. There has but to be an undeserving champion who made the Tour Championship their solely win of the 12 months, regardless of it nearly taking place a few instances. Every of the six winners on this format has been a multi-time winner on the season. Final 12 months, Rory McIlroy in contrast it to how the 73-9 Golden State Warriors group didn’t win the NBA finals. A playoff is a playoff and Josh is correct that Scheffler solely successful it one in every of thrice holding the two-shot lead makes it random sufficient to be fascinating. However I disagree wholeheartedly that it’s troublesome to comply with. It’s means higher than monitoring factors all the way down to the fractions in real-time. Nobody likes math. Match play can be nice, however to have a “season-long race” determined by a format probably not used all that always in skilled golf appears a little bit improper.

Josh Sens, senior author (@joshsens): The present format is way more about appeasing gamers than it’s about pleasing followers. Skilled golf already caters loads to its stars. I’m with Berhow. Change to match play. The staggered begin is ridiculous. If match play brings about some perceived ‘unfairness’ or randomness, so be it. The precedence ought to be to offer good leisure. Not merely to additional line the pockets of already very well-compensated gamers. 

2. Scheffler grew to become the primary individual on Tour to win seven or extra instances in a season since Tiger Woods did so in 2007 (not counting Scheffler’s gold medal). Woods hit not less than seven wins a season a number of instances, however can Scheffler? A decade from now, will one thing like a seven-win season for him appear extra just like the norm, or an outlier?

Berhow: Saying somebody goes to win seven instances a season is loopy… however for Scheffler, I don’t suppose will probably be an outlier. That doesn’t imply I feel he’s going to do it six or seven extra instances, however a few times? I feel he can.

Sens: So many elements make these sorts of forecasts powerful.  Will he keep wholesome? Will the placing demons return? However I doubt this would be the final time we’ll see this type of season from Scheffler. The extra necessary tally, although, would be the majors. 

Hirsh: We’re going to see a number of comparisons between Tiger and Scheffler over the subsequent few years (see beneath query as properly), however I’ve but to see something that means that Schefler can match the sustained degree of dominance Tiger did. I’d say possibly as soon as extra, but when he does it once more subsequent season, I’ll be singing a unique tune.

3. Talking of Tiger, when Scheffler is at his greatest, is his skillset the closest factor to Woods we’ve seen over the past twenty years?

Berhow: Tiger’s 2006 season stays the perfect SG: tee to inexperienced (+2.98) because it was tracked starting in 2004, however second and third on that record are Scheffler’s final two seasons. Tiger in his prime was so full it’s laborious to say anybody matched that skillset, and regardless that we’ve tried to make the comparisons earlier than this could be essentially the most correct but, particularly when Scottie is placing properly. Unsure if Scheffler can ever match his ball-striking or clutch play below strain, however an excellent begin to earn extra Tiger comparisons must be successful extra majors.

Sens: We’ve seen another dominant stretches that drew comparisons to Tiger– peak Rahm, peak Rory and peak DJ amongst them. However nothing as prolific or sustained as what we noticed from Scheffler this 12 months, who gained in so many settings it was laborious to maintain monitor, and who tacked on a gold medal to all of it. Peak Tiger stays a unique animal. However for all-around sport, Scheffler positively takes the prize. What was wonderful was how he put himself within the combine so persistently, even when his putter was chilly or when he was despatched to the cooler for a visitors violation.

Hirsh: I feel Sens hits the nail on the pinnacle right here, not solely was peak Tiger a unique animal, however he was a unique animal for longer. All Scheffler was lacking final 12 months was the wins, now he’s successful at an identical charge, however let’s see how lengthy he can try this for. We have now to recollect Tiger did most of his harm between 1996 and 2013. Mainly he amassed 79 wins in about 17 seasons, which suggests he was successful greater than 4 and a half instances per 12 months. Scheffler has gained four-and-a-third instances a 12 months for the final three seasons. If he retains that up for 10 extra years, then we’re on to one thing.

4. Did Scheffler’s FedEx Cup title additionally solidify the player-of-the-year title? Or does Xander Schauffele and his two main championships nonetheless have an opportunity?

Berhow: Justin Thomas just lately stated he’d truly reasonably have Xander’s season (two majors to at least one), which I feel a number of professionals would agree with. However that stated, Scottie is the straightforward winner now.

Sens: Case closed. The consideration goes to Scheffler. I believe Schauffele would say the identical.

Hirsh: No participant within the final 34 years has gained two majors and never gained Participant of the 12 months … till this 12 months. Sorry, Xander.

5. Final week we discovered the six auto qualifiers for the U.S. and Worldwide Presidents Cup groups, however each rosters shall be finalized with six captain’s picks on Tuesday. Who’re your six picks to spherical out the American squad?

Berhow: Sam Burns and Tony Finau had been already in, and Russell Henley positively ought to be now following his Sunday 62 and T4 end at East Lake. I’m additionally taking Keegan Bradley — we will’t snub this man two years in a row! — to spherical out the 4 simple picks. After that? Max Homa completed twelfth within the standings and has confirmed to be a dynamite match-play competitor. He’s in. I feel Brian Harman (eleventh within the standings) lacking the Tour Championship will harm his case, so I’d scroll down the record and scoop up Justin Thomas for my closing decide. He completed nineteenth within the standings and was 14th on the Tour Championship, however he’s the sort of participant I would like for occasions like this.

Sens: These are strong picks, however based mostly on latest kind I’d swap out Homa for Horschel. And I wouldn’t thoughts subbing in Denny McCarthy for his dead-eye placing. 

Hirsh: You completely can not go away Homa off Cup groups. He wasn’t 2023-J.T.-level unhealthy this previous 12 months. I’d go Burns, Finau, Bradley, Homa, Akshay Bhatia and … regretfully … J.T. I feel the one identify I really want to make a case for is Bhatia, however he actually confirmed this 12 months that he’s going to be on the large stage for years to come back. Thus, it’s greatest to get him some Presidents Cup expertise earlier than he heads of to the Ryder Cup, you already know the one that actually issues. As for Thomas, he contended sufficient this previous 12 months to get the nod given his match play file, however that completely doesn’t validate his Ryder Cup choice final 12 months. However he’s in a means higher place than he was a 12 months in the past. How bizarre is it that Jordan Spieth goes to overlook this group once more?