Scottie Scheffler nears $25 million FedEx Cup prize with late surge of birdies

Scottie Scheffler finished strong on Saturday with a 5-under 66 at East Lake, birdying four of his last five holes to maintain his lead over Collin Morikawa at the Tour Championship. Scheffler’s performance puts him in an excellent position to potentially secure the $25 million FedEx Cup prize as the top player in golf. Heading into the final round, Scheffler leads Morikawa by five shots, with no other player closer than nine shots behind.

Despite a two-shot penalty for a rules infraction on the third hole, Sahith Theegala rallied with seven birdies on the back nine to shoot a 66, placing him nine shots off the lead. Morikawa made a brief challenge, getting within two shots of Scheffler, but a key birdie by Scheffler on the seventh hole widened the gap to four shots. Morikawa finished with a 67 but lost ground to Scheffler in the overall standings.

Scheffler currently sits at 26-under par with a five-shot lead going into the final round. Although this lead is significant, it is not the largest under the current format. Xander Schauffele, the British Open and PGA champion, struggled to get momentum, falling ten shots behind Scheffler after a round of 71. Schauffele emphasized the importance of hitting fairways to have a chance at making a comeback in the tournament.

With the massive $25 million prize for the FedEx Cup winner, the stakes are high for the players competing in the tournament. The battle for cash prizes sees the runner-up taking home $12.5 million, and the third-place finisher receiving $7.5 million. As the tournament concludes, players will be looking to make their final moves on the leaderboard to secure their places and potentially claim a share of the lucrative prize money.