Signature Scroll: Scottie Scheffler, Sam Burns duel in Memphis; time for top-50 bubble drama at FedEx St. Jude Championship

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One more round before the top 70 gets cut to 50 ...

Scheffler, Burns showdown

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Things are percolating here at TPC Southwind. Saturday morning felt different than any day prior, starting with the amount of people huddling around the practice green, standing behind the range and flocking to the first tee.

That atmosphere is part of what makes this week so special for so many, including us in the media center. The Playoffs' adrenaline combined with the FedExCup top-50 drama (more on that below) creates a three-week spectacle of a golf run.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns have carded the two lowest rounds of the tournament thus far, and they’ll be joined at the hip for Sunday’s finale.

Scheffler reminded everyone why he is the world's best with a blistering 9-under 61 on Friday. Burns flirted with 59 early on Saturday, turning in 30 and making birdie on No. 10, but ultimately stalled out, making just two more birdies. He posted 8-under 62.

The two have been friends for years, dating back to their college days. Now they are paired in a final round for the first time since the 2021 TOUR Championship – only this time in the final pairing.

“It's always a little weird just because I want him to have success so much and I think he wants the same for me,” Scheffler said after his round Saturday. “Tomorrow we'll go out there and play our game and see where things finish up at the end of the day. … It will be fun being out there with your friend but it's also a bit weird at the same time.”

Burns understands the assignment. Beating Scheffler means bringing his best.

“Scottie is obviously playing great, as he always does,” Burns said. “He's not going to lay down. He's going to play great tomorrow. So you're going to have to go out there and put a really good round together and see if you can catch him.”

Even against the world No. 1, Burns isn't backing down.

“I think as a competitor, any time you tee it up, no matter what's on the line, no matter what it is, you want to win,” Burns said. “That's why I'm here. I love competing, and I love the competition of what the PGA TOUR has.”

I asked Scheffler if he and Burns would talk ahead of their final-round pairing.

“I wouldn't say texting is one of my strong suits, so probably not,” Scheffler joked.

Same here Scottie, same here.

Playing through

• 😤 Burns isn’t the only one chasing down Scheffler. Sungjae Im is tied for second at 11 under, in search of his first win on TOUR since 2021 ...
• 📝 My colleague Will Gray wrote a full deep dive on all the top-50 bubble updates ahead of Sunday’s final round ...
• 📺 Catch up on everything you may have missed from Round 3 of the FedEx St. Jude ...
• 😬 Jordan Spieth stumbled on Saturday, shooting a 2-over 72 that dropped him on the wrong side of the bubble …

Time for top-50 bubble drama

We caught up with Maverick McNealy on his way to the clubhouse and asked him what's actually riding on Sunday.

His answer: pretty much everything.

“The (top) 50 bubble is about as important as it gets on TOUR,” McNealy said.

So get your popcorn ready, kick back and enjoy all the drama unfolding in Memphis.

Brian Harman explained this drama perfectly: “Wherever you are on TOUR, you're on some kind of bubble. You're either trying to make the TOUR Championship or you're trying to make the Presidents Cup or you're trying to make the top 50 or you're trying to keep your card or trying to win for the first time. I think that's what makes our game so great.”

Well, what makes the top 50 so important? Let McNealy, ever the Stanford grad, break it down.

“It would give me eight more tournaments against the best players in the world, which is about a third or almost half of my schedule, would be against the best players – Rory, Scottie, Xander,” McNealy said. “All the best guys … which would be awesome.”

Making it into the top 50 in the FedExCup standings at the end of the week locks up starts in all eight signature events.

“If you’re in the Signature Events, you can pick your schedule,” McNealy said.

Meaning players, like McNealy, know where they will be week in and week out.

McNealy is the bubble boy at No. 50 in the standings heading into Sunday’s final round.

“Those are pretty big things to have on your plate that are determined by one round of golf,” McNealy said. “So I’m going to need a good one [Sunday].”

Harman is already locked into all four majors next year thanks to his win at the 2023 The Open Championship. But his status for Signature Events is up in the air and hangs in the balance on Sunday.

“I care a lot about making the top 50,” Harman said. “I care a lot about making the top 30. I care a lot about winning. … It's hard not to think about that stuff, but at the same time, you think about it all the time anyways, so you kind of get used to it.”

There are certainly levels to this sport, even at the very top, and man, is it humbling for everyone.

Parting shots

• 😔 Rory McIlroy doesn't have his “A” game in Memphis. He’s posted rounds of 74, 70 and 72 to sit 6-over par heading into Sunday.
• ⬆️ These guys are inside the top-50 bubble heading into Sunday: Keith Mitchell (No. 49), Eric Cole (No. 48) and Michael Brennan (No. 47).
• ⬇️ Brian Harman (No. 51), Matt McCarty (No. 52), Jordan Spieth (No. 53) and Max Homa (No. 54) are on the outside looking in.
• 🇰🇷 Tom Kim had a special round of his own, posting a 7-under 63 on Saturday while leading the field with 4.210 strokes gained on the greens.
• 🥵 Temperatures at TPC Southwind are expected to once again climb over 100 degrees, with the heat index peaking around 110. Find the shade and drink plenty of water.