Scottie Scheffler might simply have chosen to sit down out the BMW Championship to spice up his possibilities of capping off his sensational season with the FedEx Cup.
Barring a victory by Xander Schauffele at Fort Pines, Scheffler is assured of being the No. 1 seed who begins the Tour Championship with a two-shot benefit.
The course is new to all however two gamers within the 50-man discipline — Adam Scott and Jason Day — having final hosted the world’s finest gamers in 2006. It’s within the mile-high air south of Denver and is the longest course in PGA Tour historical past at 8,130 yards.
For gamers and caddies, it’s like strolling Kapalua with views of mountains as an alternative of humpback whales breaching within the Pacific Ocean.
“The ball goes farther, however we’ve bought to stroll all that method,” Patrick Cantlay mentioned.
After which subsequent week it’s again to steamy Atlanta and East Lake, a course the place gamers received’t be hitting pitching wedge from 200 yards to a downhill par 3 (as Justin Thomas did Wednesday).
“If I used to be to really say I wish to play my finest golf at East Lake, this will likely have been per week the place I might have taken off, simply because there’s a lot emphasis on East Lake,” Scheffler mentioned. “I sort of discovered this 12 months I don’t love enjoying the week earlier than a significant championship. So with East Lake having a lot significance within the season-long race, if I used to be to really have a look at my purpose at the start of the 12 months to win East Lake, this could have per week the place I might take into account possibly take off, particularly with the factors lead that I’ve.”
However he was at Fort Pines, enjoying 9 holes of a pro-am, engaged on the vary within the early afternoon, attempting to get dialled in along with his swing and make changes to the altitude.
Scheffler has extra expertise than most. He performed Korn Ferry Tour occasions in Colorado and Colombia. He performed at Chapultepec in Mexico Metropolis for a World Golf Championship. He even took a household trip this summer season to Colorado and performed within the skinny air.
But it surely’s principally in regards to the competitors, because it normally is for Scheffler.
Till this 12 months, he had by no means received a PGA Tour occasion after April. Now he has added titles in June and an Olympic gold medal in August. He has by no means received a FedEx Cup playoff occasion.
The BMW Championship packs loads of historical past, the one PGA Tour occasion that provides two trophies for his ever-expanding golf room — the BMW Championship and the Western Golf Affiliation, which has run this event since 1899.
“I speak about not one trophy being far more necessary than one other,” Scheffler mentioned. “I might like to win the FedEx Cup, however I might additionally like to win this event. I’ve by no means received a playoff occasion earlier than, so that might be one thing that might be actually cool to do.
“We bought the fellows which have performed one of the best golf on the PGA Tour right here this week, and it ought to be some good competitors.”
At stake this week, moreover two trophies and $4 million to the winner, is an opportunity for the highest 30 to advance to the season-ending Tour Championship. Additionally at stake is an computerized spot within the Presidents Cup to be performed on the finish of September at Royal Montreal.
The main six People and 6 Worldwide gamers (from all over the place however Europe) qualify, and either side will get six wild-card picks.
Justin Thomas at the very least will get to audition. He was a captain’s choose for the Ryder Cup final 12 months regardless of not qualifying for the postseason. Now he’s at No. 22 within the FedEx Cup with a robust likelihood of reaching East Lake. However he’s at No. 16 within the Presidents Cup standings.
There’s a combination of consolation in the best way he’s enjoying and nervousness about maybe having to attend for an additional captain’s choose.
“Final 12 months I had a whole lot of nervousness about making the Ryder Cup workforce. I wish to make the Presidents Cup workforce simply as dangerous,” Thomas mentioned. “However I’m in such a greater place and my sport is in such a greater place that I’m not coming to tournaments attempting to play nicely to attempt to make a workforce. I really feel that I’m absolutely succesful and I’m enjoying nicely sufficient that I can win each event I’m enjoying in. It’s nearly placing myself there and doing it.”
The problem is Fort Pines. It might say 8,130 yards on the scorecard, however at elevation and the way far the ball travels in mile-high air, it’s most likely nearer to 7,400 yards, typical of a PGA Tour venue. There’s additionally loads of elevation, and the wind was so sturdy Wednesday morning that it toppled massive umbrellas within the concession space.
The course for 20 years used the modified Stableford scoring system, awarding factors for birdies and higher, taking away factors for bogeys. Now it’s stroke play. And being a part of the FedEx Cup playoffs, it’s all about factors to see which 30 gamers transfer on.