Scheffler criticizes pin placements at Tour Championship

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler posted a 66 in the third round of the Tour Championship at East Lake on Saturday but expressed dissatisfaction with the course setup. The 30-year-old said the placement of pins on large green complexes forced players into a difficult risk-reward decision.

"When you have really, really large green complexes like these and they tuck the pins very close to the edges, it’s a balancing act between how much you want to bite off. It’s like am I going to try to squeeze it into a pin where it’s three yards off the edge and if I miss it on the short-side, I can’t get up-and-down and I have 50 feet coming back?"

He added that many holes, such as the ninth, produced an unusually high number of pars, questioning the competitive value of those holes. Scheffler noted that modern course designs often enlarge fairways and greens, then move pins to the edges to preserve par, which he feels reduces the incentive for aggressive play.

Statistically, Scheffler led the field in strokes gained off the tee and ranked seventh in strokes gained on approach shots, but his putting lagged, placing him 22nd in that category. He remains in contention for the tournament and could improve his chances by enhancing his short-game performance on Sunday.