Story perspectives

Scheffler wins FedEx St. Jude by eight strokes

8/20/2026

Summary

Scheffler Dominates

Scottie Scheffler won the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee, by eight strokes, the largest margin in the tournament’s 68-year history.
He finished at 17-under 263 after posting a course-tying 61 on Friday and a final-round 66.
The victory earned him $3.6 million and a $23 million bonus for remaining the FedEx Cup leader.
The final round attracted an average of 3.786 million viewers, the most-watched opening-event broadcast since 2013.

Summary

Scheffler Celebrates

He celebrated his win with Meredith and newborn Remy on the 18th green.
He said in a June interview that Meredith’s support lets him focus on fatherhood.
The victory raised his earnings to $119.96 million, a week from Tiger Woods’ $121 million record.
At age 30, he became the third-youngest golfer to reach 21 PGA Tour wins and told CBS’s Amanda Balionis he chooses to be at home instead of extra practice.

Summary

Woods’ Lead Threatened

The PGA Tour’s shift to a for-profit model has inflated purses, endangering Tiger Woods’ $120,999,166 career-money lead.
The BMW Championship offers a $20 million purse with top-five payouts from $3.6 million to $800,000.
The Tour Championship in Atlanta will have a $40 million purse and a $10 million winner’s share.
A tie for third at the BMW would let Scottie Scheffler overtake Woods, while Rory McIlroy sits with $116,488,372, trailing Woods by $4.5 million.

History

Historical Context

The FedEx Cup’s debut mirrors the longstanding use of inaugurations to signal major shifts, a practice that began with Roman augurs and continues in modern political oath-taking ceremonies such as presidential swearing-ins. By framing a new sports format as an inaugural event, the Tour aligns with this historic ritual of public commitment.

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Scheffler Dominates

Scottie Scheffler won the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee, by eight strokes, the largest margin in the tournament’s 68-year history.
He finished at 17-under 263 after posting a course-tying 61 on Friday and a final-round 66.
The victory earned him $3.6 million and a $23 million bonus for remaining the FedEx Cup leader.
The final round attracted an average of 3.786 million viewers, the most-watched opening-event broadcast since 2013.

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