Scheffler’s dominance, ‘foolish’ Playoffs format

Test in each week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the most well liked matters within the sport, and be a part of the dialog by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we focus on 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 beneath 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 event with a head begin since he was the most effective participant all 12 months?

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): I believe Scheffler profitable this 33.3 p.c of the time he’s entered the Tour Championship because the FedEx Cup chief proves it’s random sufficient to work and the mathematics form of checks out — however that also doesn’t imply it’s a superb system. The format stays wonky and unnecessarily sophisticated. I do know the disadvantage of incorporating match play into all of it means some massive names may miss out on the weekend and damage scores, however would it not actually be worse than an end-of-the-year occasion going down with staggered begins? Ultimate level: Match play is nice theater, and golf followers already get too little of it on the professional stage.

Jack Hirsh, assistant editor (@JR_HIRSHey): I wrote concerning the format final 12 months a few instances and I believe we have to take a look at the champions and ask ourselves, are the appropriate folks profitable 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 true that Scheffler solely profitable it certainly one of 3 times holding the two-shot lead makes it random sufficient to be fascinating. However I disagree wholeheartedly that it’s troublesome to observe. It’s manner higher than monitoring factors all the way down to the fractions in real-time. Nobody likes math. Match play could be nice, however to have a “season-long race” determined by a format probably not used all that usually in skilled golf appears a little bit mistaken.

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

2. Scheffler grew to become the primary particular person 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 at the very least 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 it will likely be an outlier. That doesn’t imply I believe he’s going to do it six or seven extra instances, however a few times? I believe he can.

Sens: So many components make these sorts of forecasts robust.  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 essential tally, although, would be the majors. 

Hirsh: We’re going to see quite a lot of comparisons between Tiger and Scheffler over the subsequent few years (see beneath query as nicely), however I’ve but to see something that means that Schefler can match the sustained stage 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 finest, is his skillset the closest factor to Woods we’ve seen during the last twenty years?

Berhow: Tiger’s 2006 season stays the most effective SG: tee to inexperienced (+2.98) because it was tracked starting in 2004, however second and third on that listing are Scheffler’s final two seasons. Tiger in his prime was so full it’s laborious to say anybody matched that skillset, and though we’ve tried to make the comparisons earlier than this is perhaps essentially the most correct but, particularly when Scottie is placing nicely. Unsure if Scheffler can ever match his ball-striking or clutch play beneath stress, however a superb begin to earn extra Tiger comparisons must be profitable 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 received 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 undoubtedly takes the prize. What was wonderful was how he put himself within the combine so constantly, even when his putter was chilly or when he was despatched to the cooler for a visitors violation.

Hirsh: I believe 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 profitable at an identical fee, however let’s see how lengthy he can do this for. We now have to recollect Tiger did most of his injury between 1996 and 2013. Mainly he amassed 79 wins in about 17 seasons, which implies he was profitable greater than 4 and a half instances per 12 months. Scheffler has received 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 not too long ago mentioned he’d truly reasonably have Xander’s season (two majors to at least one), which I believe quite a lot of execs would agree with. However that mentioned, Scottie is the straightforward winner now.

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

Hirsh: No participant within the final 34 years has received two majors and never received 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 will likely 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 have been already in, and Russell Henley undoubtedly needs 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 believe Brian Harman (eleventh within the standings) lacking the Tour Championship will damage his case, so I’d scroll down the listing and scoop up Justin Thomas for my remaining decide. He completed nineteenth within the standings and was 14th on the Tour Championship, however he’s the form of participant I would like for occasions like this.

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

Hirsh: You completely can’t go away Homa off Cup groups. He wasn’t 2023-J.T.-level dangerous this previous 12 months. I’d go Burns, Finau, Bradley, Homa, Akshay Bhatia and … regretfully … J.T. I believe the one title I actually need to make a case for is Bhatia, however he actually confirmed this 12 months that he’s going to be on the massive stage for years to return. Thus, it’s finest 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 report, however that completely doesn’t validate his Ryder Cup choice final 12 months. However he’s in a manner 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?