Scottie Scheffler vs. Xander Schauffele will be 'battle of attrition' | Golf Today | Golf Channel

>>> WE'RE BACK ON "GOLF TODAY." STOP US IF YOU HEARD IT BEFORE. WHAT A CAREER YEAR FOR SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER. THE FIRST TO SUCCESSFULLY DEFEND HIS TITLE AT PLAYERS. A FINAL 64 TO WIN AND COME FROM BEHIND FASHION. HE WASN'T DONE. APRIL, AUGUSTA NATIONAL, SLIPPED ON THE GREEN JACKET FOR THE SECOND TIME IN HIS CAREER. FINAL ROUND 4 UNDER 68 TO WIN BY 3. WHAT A SCENE IT HAS BEEN. 18 STARTS, 15 TOP 10s, OVER THE WEEKEND IN DENVER ONE OF THE NON-TOP 10s, NO MISSED CUTS. IT'S BEEN REMARKABLE. WON A GOLD MEDAL IN PARIS. HERE HE IS MEET ING WITH THE MEDIA. >> EVERYBODY IS DEALING WITH A LITTLE SOMETHING AT THE END OF THE YEAR. IT'S BEEN A LONG SEASON. ESPECIALLY NOW WITH THE WAY THE NEW SCHEDULE IS, IT'S A SPRINT TO GET HERE. THERE'S NOT REALLY PLACES IN THE SCHEDULE TO TAKE LARGE BREAKS. YOU HAVE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR YOU'RE GETTING WARMED UP IN A SENSE. HE GOT TO START THE YEAR READY TO GO. MARCH YOU HAVE THE PLAYERS. APRIL, MASTERS. JUNE, U.S. OPEN. JULY, OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. THEN YOU COME TO AUGUST AND YOU HAVE THE FEDEX CUP PLAYOFFS. THERE'S NOT A TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE YOU'RE TAKING A BREAK UNTIL AFTER THE PRESIDENTS CUP OR RYDER KUP. IT DEFINITELY IS A SPRINT. PEOPLE HAVE ACHES AND PAINS, BUT DIDN'T PLAY ALL YEAR TO GET TIRED AT EAST LAKE AND THROW IN THE TOWEL. SO IT'S GOOD COMPETITION THIS WEEK. I THINK THE GOLF COURSE IS GOING TO BE PRETTY CHALLENGING. IT SHOULD BE A FUN WEEK. >> ONE ON THE RIGHT HERE. >> IN TERMS OF THE FORMAT THIS WEEK, I WANTED TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT. DO YOU THINK IT'S THE RIGHT APPROACH TO THIS EVENT THIS SEASON FINALE? >> IT DEPENDS HOW YOU WANT TO DESCRIBE IT. IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A PLAYER THAT'S PLAYING THE BEST AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THE PLAYOFFS WILL DEFINITELY IDENTIFY THAT PLAYER. IN TERMS OF THE SEASON-LONG RACE, IT MAYBE NOT BE THE GUY THAT PLAYS THE BEST ALL SEASON, BUT IN THE THE PLAYOFF EVENTS. THAT'S REALLY WHAT YOU'RE IDENTIFYING. THE GUY THAT PLAYS THE BEST IN THE LAST THREE EVENTS. IT'S A FORMAT THAT'S CHANGED A FEW TIMES OVER THE YEARS IN TERMS OF WHEN IT FIRST GOT START THE, YOU HAD A YEAR WHERE IT WAS ARGUABLY IT WASN'T A GREAT SETUP THEN. YOU CHANGE THE POINTS TO BE LESS VALUABLE IN THE PLAYOFFS, BUT YOU SEE A LOT OF VOLATILITY. YOU LOOK AT KEEGAN BRADLEY WHO SHOWS UP LAST WEEK AND WINS THE TOURNAMENT. NOW HE GOES FROM NOT BEING IN EAST LAKE TO HAVING A REALLY, REALLY GREAT CHANCE TO WIN THE FEDEX CUP. IT PROVIDES A LITTLE BIT OF VOLATILITY, WHICH IS GOOD FOR THE FANS. IT'S ALSO GOOD FOR PLAYERS THAT ARE AT -- DIDN'T HAVE THEIR BEST YEARS LEADING UP TO GET INTO THE PLAYOFFS AND TURN A YEAR THAT'S NOT THEIR BEST INTO SOMEWHAT OF A CAREER YEAR IN TERMS OF WINNING THE FEDEX CUP. A LOT OF VOLATILITY, BUT GOLF IS GOLF. THE EASIEST WAY TO SOLVE AN ISSUE YOU DON'T LIKE IN THE GAME OF GOLF IS TO PLAY BETTER. THAT'S REALLY ALL IT COMES DOWN TO IN OUR GAME. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF YOU PLAY GOOD ENOUGH GOLF T WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF. >> ALONG THOSE LINES, DO YOU FEEL ANY DIFFERENTLY GOING INTO THURSDAY THAN YOU DID AT MEMPHISS, PHOENIX, PALM SPRINGS? >> JUST LIKE IN TERMS OF THE TOURNAMENT? >> JUST YOUR OUTLOOK. ARE YOU FEELING ANY DIFFERENTLY? >> I'M TRYING NOT TO TREAT IT ANY DIFFERENTLY. THE STARTING STROKES FORMAT IS DIFFERENT. IT'S NOT A TRADITIONAL GOLF TOURNAMENT. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE FORMAT IS WHAT IT IS. I'M GOING TO TRY TO APPROACH IT THE SAME WAY I APPROACHED OTHER TOURNAMENTS AND THAT'S STEPPING UP TO EXECUTE. JUST LIKE I WOULD AT MASTERS, HERITAGE, EVERY TOURNAMENT STEPPING UP ON THE FIRST TEE, SEEING MY SHOT AND TRYING TO HIT THAT SHOT AND GOING FROM THERE. >> WHEN SEE XANDER WINNING A GOLF TOURNAMENT, I JUST LOOK AT HIM AS A PERSON THAT HAS REALLY OWNERED THAT. HE PUT IN THE WORK. HE MADE THE RIGHT SACRIFICES. HE'S EARNED THOSE WINS AND I PLAYED GOOD AT THE RIGHT TIME. I'M TYPICALLY NOT ONE OF THE GUYS THAT'S THERE AFTER THE TOURNAMENT. I USUALLY LEAVE. BUT THIS YEAR I WANTED TO MAKE IT A POINT TO STAY INSIDE SCORING AND CONGRATULATE HIM BECAUSE HE'S A GREAT GUY. SECOND OF ALL, I WAS REALLY HAPPY FOR HIM. I THINK SOMETIMES I GET A TOUCH FRUSTRATED WITH THE QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK. WHOSE YEAR WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE? CAN'T WE JUST ENJOY SOME GREAT GOLF THAT'S BEEN PLAYED THIS YEAR. YOU HAD A GUY WIN MULTIPLE MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS AND A SEASON LIKE MINE I WAS ABLE TO WIN A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIMES. WE SHOULD SIT BACK AND ENJOY IT AND I'M JUST GRATEFUL FOR THE YEAR THAT I HAVE HAD. I'M GRATEFUL FOR XANDER'S YEAR AND LOOKING FORWARD TO COMPETING WITH THE FEDEX CUP WITH 28 OTHER GUYS. IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD ENJOY. INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON THE COMPARISONS ALL THE TIME. >> JUST A REMINDER, THIS IS WHAT YOUR FEDEX TOP 10 STANDINGS LOOKS LIKE. HIDEKI MATSUYAMA WITH THE WD DID NOT LOSE A POSITION IN THE STANDINGS. LOOK AT XANDER'S. THOSE TWO WINS ARE BIG ONES. SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER ALSO MET WITH THE MEDIA. >> IT'S THE BEST POSITION I HAVE EVER BEEN COMING IN. I FEEL PRETTY GOOD. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET MYSELF TO TREND A LITTLE BETTER THROUGH MEMPHIS AND THE BMW. I FEEL LIKE I HAVE DONE A DECENT JOB OF THAT. JUST TRYING TO LEARN A NEW GOLF COURSE AND GET READY FOR THIS WEEK. >> WE'LL OPEN RIGHT TO QUESTIONS. >> WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION OF THE NEW EAST LAKE? >> IT'S JUST NEW. IT'S FIRM, IT'S FAST, IT NEEDS TO SETTLE IN. IT'S JUST A VERY BRAND NEW -- I'M NOT HUGE IN AGROGMY, BUT I PLAYED NEW COURSES BEFORE. THEY ARE A LITTLE BOUNCY. HOWEVER, IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE PLAYED, IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS BECAUSE IT HASN'T SETTLED IN. >> GIVEN YOUR RECORD HERE, WAS THERE ANY PART OF YOU THAT WANTED TO MAYBE THROW YOURSELF IN FRONT OF A BULLDOZER AND STOP ALL THIS? >> 100%. ABSOLUTELY. MY CADDIE AS WELL. HE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GONE FIRST. >> HOW DOES -- YOU KNOW YOUR RECORD HERE IS BETTER THAN ANYONE'S. HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THAT NOW? >> IT'S JUST A NEW GOLF COURSE. I HAVE A GLASS HALF FULL GUY. SO I PLAYED A LOT OF NEW COURSES THIS YEAR THAT I HAVE DONE OKAY AT. AND THIS IS A BRAND NEW PROPERTY. THE BUNKERS ARE NEW, THE GREENS ARE NEW, THE GREENS ON THE GRASS ARE NEW, THE RUN OUTS ARE DIFFERENT, THE SLOPES ARE DIFFERENT. I THINK THE ONLY THING THAT'S SAME IS THE DIRECTION OF THE HOLE. WHATEVER RECORD I HAD IS THE P PAST. I HAVE NO MEMORY OR ANYTHING REALLY ON ANY HOLE TO GO OFF OF. NOT EVEN THE TREE TO AIM AT. IT'S JUST THAT DIFFERENT. SO TO ME, IT'S GOT THE SAME NAME. EAST LAKE GOLF CLUB. IT'S IN THE SAME PROPERTY. SIMILAR SQUARE FOOTAGE, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT. >> WE GOT TO HEAR FROM THE TOP TWO GUYS IN THE WORLD. I WANT TO GO BACK TO MEMPHIS. THEY PLAYED TOGETHER THURSDAY. XANDER GOES TO THE MIC AND SEEING SCOTTIE RIGHT BEHIND HIM. SO SCOTTIE GOES FIRST. KPANDER SITS DOWN. BOTH GUYS ABSOLUTELY POOPED. IT'S A MILLION DEGREES IN MEMPHIS. THE GOLF COURSE IS KICKING THEIR TAILS. THEY HAD THE GREATEST SEASONS. BUT THEY ARE EXHAUSTIONED. IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT THE PLAYOFFS TO BE, BABY, WE ARE THERE. >> I THINK WE'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT THIS WEEK IN THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP WHETHER LAST WEEK'S SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER'S PERFORMANCE WAS AN ANOMALY OR ACTUALLY POOPED. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER HAS LOST STROKES TO THE FIELD WITH HIS APPROACH PLAY IN MORE THAN TWO YEARS. REASONABLE PEOPLE COULD CHALK THAT UP TO THE ALTITUDE AD ADJUSTMENTS. BUT I THINK THE BIGGER THING TO ME AND SOMETHING I WANT TO WATCH THIS WEEK WAS SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER'S PATIENCE WEARING SOME OF THE UNCHARACTERISTICS OUTBURSTS. IT'S TYPICALLY A SIGN OF FATIGUE WHEN YOU SEE THAT SORT OF LASHING OUT. IT WAS 110 DEGREE HEAT INDEX. 6,400 FEET OF ELEVATION. NOW YOU'RE BACK IN HOT AND STEAMY ATLANTA. THEY HAVE ENTERED THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP EACH OF THE LAST TWO YEARS IN THE NUMBER ONE SEED AND NOT GOTTEN IT DONE. IT IS TAXING MENTALLY TO BE IN THE LEAD FOR FOUR CONSECUTIVE DAYS AND SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER IS HOPING TO DO. HE'S GOING TO GET A WELL-DESERVED BREAK AT SOME POINT. THEY ARE GOING TO BE SHUTTING IT DOWN FOR 2024. BUT SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER KNOWS THAT HE HAS TO SUMMON FOUR MORE GREAT DAYS OF GOLF IF HE WANTS TO FINISH THE SEASON OFF IN THE RIGHT WAY. >> I WAS WITH SAM BURNS YET. I JUST SAID HOW HARD DO YOU WORK? HE TALKED ABOUT VISITING TWICE A DAY BEFORE HIS ROUND OF GOLF AND AT THE END OF THE DAY TO TRY TO KEEP IN SHAPE. WHERE HE WANTS IT TO BE, ALL THESE GUYS AT THE TOP, HOW DO YOU FINISH THIS YEAR STRONGER THAN THE YEAR BEFORE. IT'S TOP OI MIND. HE WAS GOING TO THE RANGE AFTER HIS ROUND IN MEMPHIS. THIS IS WHAT MY JOB IS. AND I LOVE IT'S COME DOWN TO THESE PLAYERS THAT ARE CONSTANTLY ASKED, WHICH SEASON WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE. I LOVE WHAT SCOTTIE HAD TO SAY. BOTH ARE GREAT. I DON'T THINK XANDER WOULD TRADE HIS SEASON. >> I DON'T THINK SO. XANDER IS SUCH AN INTERESTING PLAYER WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SEASON FINALE. CAN HE SORT OF HAVE THE MENTAL FORTITUDE TO GET THROUGH THE REMAINING FOUR DAYS. XANDER SCHAUFFELE HAS TAD A LOT ABOUT USING SORT OF EAST LAKE AS A BAROMETER FOR HIM. HE SAW THE LENGTH AND DISTANCE WAS GOING TO BE AN ADVANTAGE. SO HE'S WORKED TIRELESSLY WITH HIS SWING COACH TO ADD MORE DISTANCE, TO ADD MORE SPEED. HE'S ADDED 3 MILES PER HOUR OF CLUB HEAD SPEED. >> HE PLAYED A COUPLE YEARS AGO. HE WAS OVERWHELMED IN THE HEAT. WE WOULD LOOK ACROSS THE FAIRWAY AND SEE RORY McILROY STRUTTING HIS WAY TO GET ANOTHER FEDEX CUP TITLE. XANDER SCHAUFFELE SAID I NEED TO GET IN THE GYM. I NEED TO BE FITTER. I NEED TO BE HEALTHIER. THIS IS A GREAT PROVING GROUND TO SEE HOW FAR HE'S COME AND SORT OF CLOSING THAT GAP. NOT JUST RORY, BUT ALSO SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER AS THE WORLD NUMBER ONE. >> IT WAS A YEAR AGO HE SHOT THE FINAL ROUND 62 AT EAST LAKE BREATHING DOWN THE NECK OF VIKTOR HOVLAND. WHAT A GREAT SUNDAY THAT WAS. AND YOU HAVE TO WONDER HOW MUCH INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN LOST WITH THIS RESTORATION BY ANDREW GREEN. KPANDER TALKED ABOUT IT. THE GREENS ARE DIFFERENT. THE GRASS IS DIFFERENT. THE FAIRWAYS ARE DIFFERENT. THE GOLF COURSE IS DIFFERENT. SOME SAY THAT SHOULD HE WIN THIS WEEK, XANDER HAS A CASE TO BE MADE AS THE PLAYER OF THE YEAR. I DON'T THINK SO. I THINK IT'S DONE AND DUSTED, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS THIS WEEK IN ATLANTA, 6 WINS, INCLUDING A SECOND GREEN JACKET, A BACK TO BACK PLAYERS, 4 SIGNATURE EVENTS AND A GOLD MEDAL, IT COUNTS. DO YOU THINK SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN ATLANTA CAN EFFECT THAT PLAYER OF THE YEAR DEBATE? >> AMONG THE PLAYERS, THE P PLAYERS THAT I TALKED TO LAST WEEK, BY AND LARGE, THEY TOLD ME THAT SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER HAS PLAYED THE BEST GOLF IN 2024 AND THUS HE SHOULD BE THE PLAYER OF THE YEAR. BUT THEY WOULD RATHER HAVE XANDER SCHAUFFELE'S YEAR. I THINK THAT'S A REMINDER THAT PLAYERS ARE GOING TO CARE LESS WHETHER YOU MWON THE MEMORIAL O THE THEY ALL KNOW THEIR LEGACIES WILL BE DEFINED BY HOW MANY MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS. >> WHAT ABOUT BACK TO BACK PLAYERS. IT WAS ONE OF THOSE FACTOIDS WE FIGURED WOULD DO IT. >> IT'S A BETTER SPAN AND SOMETHING THAT PLAYERS WOULD MORE WANT TO HAVE. >> WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT HOW YOU HAVE TO HAVE BACK TO BACK AT THE PLAYERS BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO HAVE YOUR GAME THAT RAZOR SHARP. THAT TIGHT TO GO BACK TO BACK. >> I THINK IF THEY DO WIN THE FEDEX, HE WILL SWAY SOME. WHEN YOU LOOK AT HIS BODY OF WORK OVER THE YEAR, THE TWO MAJORS, $25 MILLION, WITH SOME OF THE