For the next three weeks the main focus of the PGA Tour is on the FedEx Playoffs. The chance for players to cement themselves as a PGA great, the money and prestige that can be won over the next three weeks has the ability to both career and life changing.
As is often the way when the Playoffs roll around, there are plenty of interesting talking points and storylines to keep an eye on over the next three weeks. Here are five storylines that we will closely be monitoring.
Who will end up on top - Scottie Scheffler or Xander Schauffele?
This year has seen Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele dominate the PGA Tour and many are looking forward to seeing who ends the year as the PGA Tour’s top dog.
Let’s start with Scheffler. The undoubted world number one, the Texan has been in brilliant form this season winning six titles, including the Players, Masters and he also has Olympic gold.
Not since the days of Tiger Woods has there been such a dominant player on the PGA Tour and with his putting much improved and his accuracy on a different planet to most on Tour, Scheffler has often been operating in a class of his own.
Where there is some nervousness is that over the last two seasons, Scheffler has headed into the playoffs as the number one ranked player but on both occasions has fallen short. Yet to be crowned the FedEx Champion, Scheffler’s tremendous season deserves FedEx success, whether he can finally get over the line this time around remains to be seen.
Hot on Scheffler’s heels is Xander Schauffele. Formerly regarded as the best player never to have won a major, the Californian has been able to flip that script on its head this year by winning both the PGA and Open Championships. Now a major winner, Schauffele seems to have been completely freed up and has been playing brilliant and consistent golf all season.
Walking with the swagger of a man who believes he is the best player in the world, Schauffele won’t have any concerns in trying to overthrow Scheffler’s current lead and he will hope to cap off the best season of his career with FedEx glory.
Don’t forget about Rory McIlroy
It's been another frustrating season when it comes to the Majors for Rory McIlroy. Now without a major win in eleven years, McIlroy has often been able to get over that disappointment by saving his best for the FedEx Playoffs.
No man in history has won the FedEx as many times as McIlroy and he will tee it up at the St Jude Championship looking to win the Playoffs for a fourth time.
Despite not winning a major, McIlroy has still enjoyed a great year. A winner down in Dubai earlier in the year, he has also won the Zurich Classic alongside Shane Lowry and won the Wells Fargo when overhauling Xander Schauffele in the final round.
Usually the focus of attention, the world number three may relish the fact that the eyes of the golfing media will be on the battle between Scheffler and Schauffele and because he can fly under the radar it could be a position he will relish.
Supremely talented, McIlroy knows exactly what it takes to win and emerge through the playoffs and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him in the mix by the time the Tour Championship rolls around.
Europe will hope to make it three in a row
With the Ryder Cup getting bigger every year, the focus between Europe’s and America’s greatest players and who is playing better than who seems to be getting more intense by the tournament.
Despite American players winning all four majors for the first time in 42 years, in the FedEx Europe have won the two last editions with Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland ending the year on top. This year there will be high hopes that another European player might be able claim glory.
Whilst McIlroy will rightly be the man expected to lead the charge, Ludvig Aberg could also muscle his way into the conversation.
Heading into the St Jude Championship ranked sixth in the standings, it's easy to forget that this is the Swede’s first full season on Tour and this will be the first time that he would have ever teed it up in the playoffs.
In what has been a year of firsts, Aberg has performed well in the majors and is a name that we are becoming constantly used to seeing at the top of the leaderboards.
Seemingly able to handle the pressure that is thrust upon him, Aberg will relish the next few weeks and could be a massive threat to the Americans in the Tour Championships.
Plenty have a Playoff point to prove
With Scheffler and Schauffele rightfully taking up all of the headlines, there are several players who have qualified for the Playoffs who will have a major point to prove.
Justin Thomas missed the playoffs altogether last season, so it’s great to see him qualify this season in 19th place. For many within American golf Thomas is still regarded as a generational talent but his form over the last two seasons hasn’t lived up to the billing.
Wanting to play himself into form ahead of the Presidents Cup and wanting to remind the world of his talents, this year’s Playoffs are big for Thomas. The man from Kentucky hasn’t come close to winning the FedEx but he will hope to change that this week.
Tommy Fleetwood, Aaron Rai and Robert MacIntyre have all been flying the British flag on Tour this season and all three will hope to make a deep run in this year’s Playoffs.
Currently both Rai and MacIntyre sit inside the top 30 of the standings and both will want to maintain their places and ensure they qualify for the Tour Championship.
Fleetwood has a little more work to do and starts this week at 32 in the standings. Now regarded as one of the best players yet to win on the PGA Tour, the recent Olympic silver medalist will hope to alter that unwanted record during these next three weeks.
All eyes on the Tour Championship format
Since 2007, the FedEx has acted as the PGA’s finale but it’s fair to say that the existing format of the playoffs has its detractors.
With the points on offer during the St Jude, BMW Classic and Tour Championship almost being worth triple the amount of points awarded for winning a major, many feel that the existing format doesn’t reward year long form and instead rewards the best player from these three weeks.
Scottie Scheffler has often fallen foul of the format and is one of the main critics of the format as it currently stands. With viewing numbers down for the entirety of the PGA Tour this season, it will be interesting to see if the jeopardy at play during the Tour Championship has any impact on the overall viewership. If it doesn’t, a rethink may be needed.
Jack Hartman
A keen golfer and huge fan of the game, Jack has been covering golf for the last five years. Bringing you all the latest coverage and news from the PGA, LIV, LPGA and DP World Tours, never before has golf been so popular and Jack can’t wait to bring all the excitement to his readers.
