Honestly, it felt like a foregone conclusion, but golf has a funny way of making the "inevitable" feel like a heart attack. If you were watching the Tour Championship at East Lake in September 2024, you saw Scottie Scheffler finally hoist the one trophy that had been trolling him for years. He didn't just win; he punctuated a season that people are already comparing to Tiger Woods in 2000 or 2007.
He walked away with the title, the silver cup, and a casual $25 million bonus.
But it wasn't a total cakewalk. Even though Scottie started the week with a two-stroke lead because of the staggered-start format—entering at 10-under par—there was a moment on Sunday where things got weird. Really weird.
The Shank Heard 'Round Atlanta
It was the 8th hole. Scheffler was leading by a few, looking invincible as usual. Then, he did something that every weekend warrior at a local muni can relate to: he shanked a bunker shot.
The ball flew sideways.
He made bogey. Then another. Suddenly, Collin Morikawa, who was playing out of his mind, was within two shots. You could almost feel the collective "Here we go again" from the fans who remembered Scheffler blowing a six-shot lead to Rory McIlroy in 2022.
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But Scheffler has this weird, robotic ability to just... stop the bleeding. He leaned on his caddie, Ted Scott, for a quick pep talk on the 9th tee, then proceeded to stick an iron shot to five feet. Birdie. He then birdied 10 and 11. The door that Morikawa had kicked open was slammed shut and deadbolted.
Who Won FedEx Cup 2024? The Final Numbers
When the dust settled on Sunday afternoon, the leaderboard looked like a "Who’s Who" of guys who just couldn't quite keep up with the World No. 1.
- Scottie Scheffler: -30 (Winner)
- Collin Morikawa: -26
- Sahith Theegala: -24
- Russell Henley: -19 (Tie)
- Adam Scott: -19 (Tie)
- Xander Schauffele: -19 (Tie)
Sahith Theegala deserves a massive shout-out here, by the way. He actually called a two-stroke penalty on himself for touching the sand in a waste bunker on Saturday. Most people wouldn't have even noticed, but he’s a straight shooter. Despite that "self-inflicted wound," he still finished third. That’s pure class.
Why This Win Was Different
Before 2024, the knock on Scottie was that he couldn't close out the FedEx Cup. He had been the No. 1 seed for three straight years entering East Lake. In 2022, he lost it. In 2023, his putter went ice cold.
In 2024, he changed the narrative. This win was his seventh of the PGA Tour season. If you count his Gold Medal in Paris (which he definitely does), it was eight wins. That hasn't happened since Tiger was wearing the Sunday red in his prime.
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Think about the year this guy had. He won the Masters. He won The Players (back-to-back, which is insane). He got arrested in a bizarre misunderstanding at the PGA Championship in Louisville and still went out and shot a 66 after being released from a jail cell. Then he tops it off by winning the FedEx Cup. It’s the kind of season that makes other pros just shake their heads.
The Money is Mind-Boggling
Let's talk about the bank account for a second. By winning the 2024 FedEx Cup, Scheffler’s total earnings for the year—including on-course winnings and bonuses—totaled over $62 million.
To put that in perspective, he earned more in one year than most legendary golfers made in their entire careers. The $25 million check for the FedEx Cup alone is more than the career earnings of some guys in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
What Most People Missed
While everyone was looking at the top of the leaderboard, there was a massive scramble happening for the top 50 and top 125 spots.
The FedEx Cup isn't just about the $25 million; it's about job security. Finishing in the top 50 guarantees you a spot in all the "Signature Events" for 2025. Those are the high-purse, no-cut tournaments where the real money is. Guys like Justin Thomas and Jason Day were sweating it out just to make sure they stayed inside those bubbles.
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The "Starting Strokes" Debate
If you’re a purist, you probably hate the format. Since 2019, the leader going into the Tour Championship starts at 10-under. Second place starts at 8-under, and so on.
If we played "raw" scores (no starting strokes), Collin Morikawa actually shot the lowest 72-hole total at East Lake. He would have won a traditional tournament by two shots. But that’s not how the FedEx Cup works. It’s designed to reward the entire season, and honestly, nobody deserved it more than Scottie. He was the best player from January to August, and the format ensured the trophy matched the performance.
Actionable Insights for Golf Fans
If you're looking to follow the 2025 race or just want to understand the impact of Scheffler's 2024 run, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the Signature Events: The 2024 season proved that the path to the FedEx Cup goes through the Signature Events. Winning one of these (like the Arnold Palmer or the Memorial) provides a massive points cushion.
- The Putter is King: Scottie's 2024 turnaround happened because he switched to a mallet putter (the TaylorMade Spider Tour X) and started working with putting coach Phil Kenyon. If a guy who hits the ball that well starts making putts, the rest of the field is playing for second place.
- The Staggered Start Isn't Going Anywhere: Despite the "Morikawa would have won" talk, the PGA Tour likes the "one winner" finish for TV. Expect the 10-under starting score to remain the standard for the No. 1 seed.
Scottie Scheffler finally getting his hands on that trophy felt like the natural conclusion to a season that bordered on the ridiculous. He showed that you can survive a jail cell, a shank, and the pressure of being the heavy favorite to win the biggest prize in the sport.
Next time you're on the range and you hit a hosel-rocket, just remember: the guy who won $25 million did it too. He just followed it up with three straight birdies.