Tour Championship: Scheffler and Schauffele on the hunt for elusive Tour Championship

Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele shake hands on the 18th green during the second round of the BMW Championship

Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele – what else is there to say? Scheffler-Schauffele. Schauffele-Scheffler. Their tongue-twisting names have become woven together at the top of the golf world. No. 1 and No. 2 in both the Official World Golf Ranking and the season-long PGA Tour points race leading into this week’s season finale.

For the fifth time this season – and third consecutive week – Scheffler and Schauffele will be paired together for the opening round of the Tour Championship. They own a head start on the rest of the field at East Lake Golf Club as they each chase the one thing in golf that’s escaped both of their clutches – a FedEx Cup championship.

Scheffler arrives for the third straight season as the top seed staked to a 10-under starting score and two-shot lead over Schauffele. He’s 0-for-2 in closing the deal. Schauffele arrives as the only player who’s posted the low 72-hole score three times at East Lake only to never to be crowned the FedEx Cup champion.

Winner this week gets US $25 million. Runner-up $12.5 million. Neither needs the extra cash, but both desperately want the trophy that’s eluded them.

“No better opportunity than where I’m sitting,” said Scheffler, winner of seven tournaments this year including the Masters, Players and Olympic gold medal.

Scottie Scheffler pumps his fist after sinking a putt on the 18th green to win the Memorial golf tournament

“I mean, you’re going to be pretty hungry when you get close,” said Schauffele, winner of the PGA and Open Championships. “You’re champing at the bit. It’s right there in front of your face. You’re never able to hold on to it. No doubt at all, I’m very hungry.” 

Golf’s newest rivals have become familiar friends over the course of 2024. At both the Masters and U.S. Open they were paired together in the first two rounds, and then again each of the last three weeks in the FedEx Cup playoffs. A mutual respect has built between them as they’ve pushed each other to greater successes.

“I think sometimes I get a touch frustrated with the questions people ask because like, ‘Oh, whose year would you rather have? Would you rather have Xander's year or Scottie's year?’” Scheffler said. “It’s like, can’t we just enjoy some great golf that’s been played this year? You had a guy win multiple major championships and you had a season like mine where I was able to win a good amount of times. I think it’s one of those things where we should just sit back and enjoy it.

“And I’m just grateful for the year that I’ve had. I’m grateful for Xander’s year. I’m looking forward to competing for the FedEx Cup with 28 other guys. I think it’s something that we should just enjoy instead of focusing on the comparisons all the time.” Scheffler knows he has his hands full with Schauffele hot on this tail at East Lake. Two years ago it was Rory McIlroy who chased him down to steal the trophy. Last year Scheffler played poorly and Viktor Hovland sailed past him.

Schauffele has long been known as an East Lake specialist – a trait that’s been thrown out the window this time with East Lake having been entire redone by architect Andrew Green since last August. Schauffele admits he or his caddie should have stood in front of the bulldozers to halt the renovation.

Xander Schauffele has won two majors this year in the PGA Championship and The Open

“It’s just a new golf course,” he lamented. “Kind of a glass half full guy, so I’ve played a lot of new courses this year that I’ve done okay at them. And this is a brand new property. Literally the bunkers are new, the grasses are new in the fairways, the greens are new, the grass on the greens are new, the runouts are different, the slopes are different. I think the only thing that’s the same are the directions of the hole.

“Whatever record I had is the past. I have no memory or anything really on any hole to go off of, not even a tree I could aim at that I used to aim at. It’s just that different. To me, it’s got the same name – it’s East Lake Golf Club. It’s on the same property, similar square footage. But that’s about it.” For Scheffler, that could help since his record at the old East Lake wasn’t up to his typical standards. But the newness and firmness of the yet-to-grow-in course is a wildcard that’s hard to predict.

“It’s definitely interesting,” Scheffler said. “The greens, since they’re new, are extremely firm, which I think makes it more challenging. It’ll be tough to access some of the hole locations. I think we’ll have a bit to learn in terms of golf course setup.

“This was a golf course I always really liked. I felt like I hadn’t played my best golf here. So coming here this year, seeing a fresh golf course that I think is going to be really challenging, I think will suit me pretty well out there.”

While there are 28 more guys – including red-hot Hideki Matsuyama and nothing-to-lose Keegan Bradley – who could walk away with the $25 million pot and trophy on Sunday. But Scheffler and Schauffele – as they have been all season – are the guys to beat and love their chances.

“You know, this is the best opportunity that I’ll have in my career probably to win a golf tournament,” Scheffler said. “I’m starting two strokes ahead of second place. That’s a pretty cool place to be, really.” Schauffele feels the same way about his spot in second.

“It’s the best position I’ve ever been coming in. I feel pretty good,” he said. “I’ve been trying to get myself to trend a little bit better through Memphis and the BMW. I feel like I’ve done a decent job of that.” Scheffler-Schauffele. Schauffele-Scheffler. The conversation pretty much comes down to that once again.