Tiger-like Scheffler reigns, Scott rises at PGA finale
Darren Walton |
Adam Scott has had to settle for yet another cool milestone as Scottie Scheffler surpassed Tiger Woods as the PGA Tour’s all-time leading prize money earner with a second season-long FedEx Cup crown.
Scheffler once again underlined his undisputed world No.1 status with a decisive three-shot triumph at the $US40 million Tour Championship in Atlanta.
The 2024 champion fired a closing four-under-par 66 to reel in third-round leader Viktor Hovland and join grand slam greats Rory McIlroy (2016, 2019, 2022) and Woods (2007, 2009) as only the third multiple winner of the showpiece finale.
In pocketing the monster $US10 million winner’s cheque, Scheffler also surged past Woods ($US120,999,166) with a mind-blowing $US130,390,661 in on-course earnings in only his seventh season on the PGA Tour.
Woods, who never played for more than a $US10 million purse during his peak years from 1997 through to 2008, had been at the top of the career money list for almost 26 years.
After starting three shots behind Hovland and alongside Scott in joint third spot, Scheffler surged clear of the pack to finish with a 16-under 264 tournament total.
Victory was a small slice of redemption for Scheffler, who lost in a playoff to Hovland at the Travelers Championship, in one of his five runner-up finishes this year.
But with two wins in the past three weeks, Scheffler suddenly joins Chris Gotterup, Matt Fitzpatrick and US Open champion Wyndham Clark for most titles in 2026, with three each.
“Days like today are really fun,” Scheffler said.
“To come from behind and be able to win a tournament is a really cool feeling.
“There was a lot of talented guys in front of me on the leaderboard. I was fortunate to get off to a good start and put myself in the mix. I’m very proud.”
Scheffler is now favoured to also collect a fifth straight Jack Nicklaus Award for PGA Tour player of the year, which would match Woods for most consecutive gongs.
Hovland, the 2023 winner, was outright runner-up despite a Sunday slip-up 72 as the Norwegian fell short in his own bid to win a second FedEx Cup.
Scheffler’s fellow American Ryan Gerard was solo third at 12 under following a his own faltering 72.
With a closing 68, Min Woo Lee wound up one shot ahead of Scott as Australia’s top finisher in an impressive seven-way tie for fourth on his Tour Championship debut.
Lee finished at 11 under with England’s Alex Fitzpatrick (66), Americans Jacob Bridgeman (68), Russell Henley (68) and Chris Gotterup (71), McIlroy (69) and Swede Ludvig Aberg (71).
At 46 years, one month and 14 days, Scott was striving to become the oldest FedExCup champion, with Vijay Singh more than a year younger when he won in 2008.
Alas, it was not the former world No.1’s day.
Scott was loitering in third spot for much of the afternoon, even pulling to within two shots of the lead before his bold challenge finally ended with a bogey on the 16th hole after hooking his drive wildly off the tee.
He eventually signed for a 72 to finish at 10 under with England’s 2025 champ Tommy Fleetwood (67) and American world No.3 Cameron Young (70).
Still, Scott’s share of 11th, 20 years after winning the Tour Championship, earned the veteran a tidy $US660,000.
That was enough to push Australia’s 2013 Masters champion one slot up to seventh – above Justin Thomas – on the PGA Tour’s all-time money list with $US74,880,596 in prize money.
Only Scheffler, Woods, McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose and Dustin Johnson are now above Scott.
AAP