Even Scottie Scheffler, who usually treats the golf course like his private playground, is now speaking out – specifically against the setup of the East Lake facility, where the 2026 Tour Championship is currently heating up. Although he played a flawless 66 on Saturday, the world No. 1 doesn't seem entirely happy with the demands on his shots. He simply doesn't like everything the course presents, even though he's still fully in contention.
Scheffler delivered a bogey-free 66 on Saturday, climbing further up the leaderboard, but couldn't hide some missed birdie chances, especially from the 8- to 12-foot range (2.4 to 3.7 meters). Following his rounds of 65, 67, and his latest 66, he stands at 12-under 198 strokes, T3, lurking just three shots behind leader Viktor Hovland.
When the Maestro Himself Has Reservations
Scheffler's criticism isn't about discipline or major controversies, but rather about the course's fine-tuning, which demands precise shot shapes and apparently doesn't always suit him. Nevertheless, he's delivering. His season scoring average has dropped to 67.96 – a number that could threaten his own PGA Tour record of 67.99 from 2025 if he maintains this average. This shows that even a small amount of discontent doesn't make his engine stutter.
Showdown for the Big Money
After Saturday, Viktor Hovland sits atop the leaderboard. Ryan Gerard is hot on his heels, just one shot back. Scheffler and Chris Gotterup form the chasing duo, each three shots behind. The tension is palpable, as it's not just about the prestigious Tour Championship title, but also a hefty $10 million. It will be a blockbuster final round as the top golfers will have to give it their all on Sunday.
