ATLANTA – The pattern dimension is small and this week’s outcomes are, at finest, inconclusive. But when Scottie Scheffler continues on his present tempo on the swansong cease on the PGA Tour schedule he would possibly wish to think about slicing off a bit of that $25 million FedExCup bonanza to Andrew Inexperienced.
Inexperienced is the mastermind behind East Lake’s restoration that reworked the Donald Ross format from a secular up-and-back course right into a extra compelling check with classical touches that has the total consideration of the Tour’s finest gamers.
Aside from the historic footprint of the course, all the pieces else has modified for this yr’s Tour Championship. The tees, the fairways, the bunkers and the grasses have all been massaged to higher resemble Ross’ authentic design. However for Scheffler, it’s the brand new greens which have made his fifth begin on the finale really feel just a little completely different.
Tee occasions and pairings for Transferring Day on the Tour Championship.
On two earlier events, Scheffler has arrived at East Lake with a built-in benefit because of the occasion’s “beginning strokes” format that offers the FedExCup factors chief a two-shot lead over the participant in second place and as a lot as a 10-shot lead over these in the direction of the underside of the 30-man area.
Each occasions, Scheffler didn’t win the FedExCup and it doesn’t take a deep statistical dive to unearth why the sport’s preeminent ball-striker couldn’t make the most of the pinnacle begin. Statistically, and relative to the sport’s finest gamers, Scheffler’s placing at East Lake has been past pedestrian.
The world No. 1 has by no means had back-to-back rounds at East Lake on the plus facet of the strokes gained: placing ledger and he’s by no means completed inside the highest 25 within the 30-man area in strokes gained: placing. His finest placing spherical at East Lake was on Day 2 final yr when he picked up a formidable 1.73 pictures on the sector however in the end misplaced 5 ½ pictures for the week on the greens and completed 30th in strokes gained: placing.
That egg salad of stats solely reveals how significantly better he’s carried out by two rounds this week. On Thursday, he ranked inside the highest 10 in strokes gained: placing, selecting up 1.43 pictures, to associate with his regular chic ball-striking.
Right here’s a take a look at how gamers are faring within the Tour Championship, minus the “beginning strokes.”
