“Scottie Scheffler Dominates Tour Championship—Is a $25 Million Payday Just One Round Away?”

MIAMI – World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is poised to cap off an extraordinary season with a US$25 million (S$32.7 million) FedExCup victory, entering the final round of the Tour Championship on September 1 with a commanding five-stroke lead.

Despite a solid performance in the third round on August 31, Collin Morikawa, also from the United States, couldn’t significantly close the gap on Scheffler. Morikawa carded a four-under 67 at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, while Scheffler managed a five-under 66.

Scheffler, who is also the reigning US Masters champion and Olympic gold medalist, began the tournament at 10-under-par with a two-shot advantage over Xander Schauffele, thanks to the staggered scoring system that sets the stage for the FedExCup playoff finale.

Although Morikawa started six shots behind Scheffler, he has only managed to reduce the deficit by one stroke over three rounds.

Scheffler showed a moment of vulnerability when he bogeyed the par-four first hole after driving into the rough and missing a 12-foot par putt. However, this was the only blemish on his scorecard. He finished the round strongly with birdies on four of the last five holes, including the final three, signaling his determination to secure the title in the final round, which was ongoing at press time.

“I just need to keep doing what I’ve been doing—staying in the moment and being patient out there. I’ve bogeyed the first hole two of the last three days, and both times I didn’t make any bogeys after that. So that’s kind of good momentum for me,” Scheffler commented.

Morikawa, who needed a strong round to challenge Scheffler, didn’t make his first birdie until the par-five sixth hole and negated it with a bogey on the next. Nevertheless, he finished the round well, securing three birdies from the 15th hole onwards, including the 17th and 18th.

“Solid round. Not exactly the moving day that I needed, but I knew all week I would need something special to come out on top, and I’m going to need something very special,” Morikawa said.

Sahith Theegala, who also shot a 66, is currently in third place, nine strokes behind Scheffler. Xander Schauffele, this season’s British Open and PGA Championship winner, shot a 71 and is in fourth place, one stroke behind Theegala.