Collin Morikawa is leading the Tour Championship without the starting strokes, closely followed by Scottie Scheffler. Scheffler currently holds a five-shot lead over Morikawa and a nine-shot lead over the rest of the field, but these numbers are adjusted with the starting strokes. Without the starting strokes, Morikawa would be leading Scheffler by one stroke, making it a much closer competition between the two players. This year marks the sixth year of the Tour Championship’s starting strokes format, where the FedEx Cup standings determine the starting scores for each of the 30 players who make it to the final event of the season.
Scottie Scheffler, who came into the tournament as the FedEx Cup leader for the third consecutive season, started with a two-stroke lead at 10 under. Despite his previous history of holding a lead in the tournament, he has not yet secured a victory in the season finale and the FedEx Cup title. In contrast, Collin Morikawa is currently in pursuit of Scheffler, and without the starting strokes, the two players are neck and neck. Morikawa and Scheffler are both posting impressive scores, with Morikawa starting the week at four under, similar to Rory McIlroy’s winning score in 2022. The leaderboard without starting strokes is not insignificant, as the Official World Golf Ranking will use it to distribute points from the event.
The Tour Championship leaderboard without strokes reveals Collin Morikawa leading at 17 under, closely followed by Scottie Scheffler at 16 under. Other notable players on the leaderboard include Sahith Theegala, Adam Scott, and Wyndham Clark. Despite the absence of starting strokes, the performances of these players are still noteworthy and will impact the Official World Golf Ranking. While Scottie Scheffler may be on track to win the FedEx Cup title and the $25 million prize, Collin Morikawa could see a significant improvement in his ranking with a strong finish at the Tour Championship.
Jack Hirsh, an assistant editor at GOLF, highlights the impressive performances of Collin Morikawa and Scottie Scheffler at the Tour Championship. Hirsh provides insights into the competition between the two players and the significance of the starting strokes format in determining the leaderboard. With the stakes high and the competition fierce, golf fans are eager to see how the final round of the Tour Championship unfolds. As the tournament progresses, the excitement surrounding Morikawa and Scheffler’s battle for the top spot continues to grow, with both players delivering exceptional performances on the course.
