Tour confidential: Scottie vs. Rory, Nelly’s Season, Cam Young’s Ryder Cup Hopes

Check every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors while breaking down the most popular topics in the sport and participating in the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week we will discuss the debate of the player of the year, the victory of Cameron Young, the season of Nelly Korda and more.

With the FedEx Cup play-offs finally here, this means that there are only three events left to influence the race for the player of the year between the two obvious leaders: Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. McIlroy has won three times, including the players and Masters, the last to complete the Grand Slam career. Scheffler has won four times, emphasized by his large titles of PGA and Open Championship. Who has to win?

Josh Schrock, news editor (@Schrock_and_Awe): Who should win is Scottie. Even Rory opened that he won three times, while Scheffler was not on full flight due to a hand injury. But winning the players and the masters, especially in the way he did to win the career Grand Slam, could give it to Rory.

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens)) The Grand Slam career was an epic achievement for McIlroy, the emphasis on career. We opt for the better season. Scheffler has not only won more often this year. He has won more Majors. Case closed.

James Colgan, plays editor (@Jamescolgan26): Golly, I would love it if we only chose Poty for praises, but this is a tough because of the way the Tour structures its ballot papers and the two different pieces of dominant game that we saw this season. Scottie is clearly the best player in the world, with clearly the best resume, but I would not be shocked if Rory won it on a “lifelong performance” fashion.

Is there something that could happen in the play -offs that would turn your decision around?

Schrock: Zero. The meaningful Golf was packed. Apologies to the sponsors and partners.

Sens: No. Unless we vote about the man who has raised his assets most.

Colgan: No, but if McIlroy wins the Tour Championship, I would not surprise if the players of the Tour (aka, the Poty voters) did not agree.

Cameron Young rode at the Wyndham championship and won six to claim the first PGA Tour victory of his career. Before Sunday, Young’s seven career-two finishes were the most by every Winless player on tour since 1983. In 2023, Young became ninth in the ryder Cup rankings and was still not picked. Was this victory enough to get a place for 2025?

Schrock: The victory was good enough to actually get him in the conversation. He has the length and now has a consistent enough putter to be a weapon at Bethpage, a course where he won the New York State Open. But winning the Wyndham will not be what puts him in the team. If he makes it, this simply means that Keegan Bradley leaned so much because of his skills and the New York connection. As I see it, there are three places for: Young, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns, Mav McNealy, Ben Griffin, Brian Harman and Bradley. I see the argument for taking young people, but winning in Greensboro should not be the determining factor.

Sens: Statistically, you could probably argue this anyway. This victory moves him to the 16th in the ranking of Ryder Cup. But if I were a captain, I would choose him, partly because he has placed so well all year round and makes Birdies in bunches, which is great for competition game. He is also a New Yorker (who won the state open at Bethpage Black). Give the home crowd even more reason to get confused.

Colgan: It shouldn’t be. Young has top-five in the world game when it is all there, and it was all in the Wyndham, but winning one of the weakest events on tour on field strength should not be a Ryder Cup-Rooster-Wisselaar.

There was much to follow on Sunday in the Wyndham, with players who missed the top 70 to the top 70 (and continue to the play -offs). The triumph of which player (or close call) did you stand out the most?

Schrock: Davis Thompson three times the 18th hole to stop from the top 70 and ended at 71 was brutal. Gary Woodland also slid from the projected 70th and went the day to 72 with a tough final round. Two beasts leave in Sedgefield in the day.

Sens: Schrock removed the words from my keyboard with the Thompson Three-Putt. Painful.

Colgan: Mark Hubbard gets the headlines, but I am impressed by Ben Griffin, who did not have to be in the field, but who ended with a lock higher in the Fedex Cup classification with a T11. I am interested in seeing how that will help him in the coming weeks.

The Japanese Miyu Yamashita survived Charley Hull and Minami Katsu to win the Aig Women’s open at Royal Porthcawl and claimed the first big title of her career. Further on the Leaderboard, 36th, was Nelly Korda, who won seven times in 16 starts a year ago. Now, with the LPGA Major Season Complete, she is in 13 starts without winning. What gives? And which season was probably the Uitbijter, last year or this year?

Schrock: I think the answer is probably in the middle. Both are from bijters. Korda is a phenomenal player who became blistered last year and scammed seven victories. She played good wave this year, but only a tap below her normal level, and has nothing to show. It is a disappointing year for Nelly, but it is more disappointing for female wave who needs her or someone to bring the LPGA to new heights. The year of Nelly reminded me that a lot of the Stretch Rory from the moment that Golf had picked up during the Pandemie until the mid -2021 when he finally won at Wells Fargo. The Golf has been good to good, but not to its standards and it seems worse, considering how good she can be on full flight.

Sens: There is definitely a feeling of an existential battle. Not long ago she took free time and quoted Burn -Out. As everyone knows, it is mental and the physical so hard to untangle. Scottie Scheffler made it clear in his now famous pre-open championship conference, which became so close to philosophical when a press conference comes. I think Korda would benefit from assuming a Scheffler mentality. Who wouldn’t?

Chalice: I am being chased by a piece of Korda analysis last April by none other than Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley. I paraphrase, but the thrust was: She is a great player, but she is not a transforming star for women’s golf. I don’t think there is more disappointment here for Korda, I just think she is a great player who might not be a transforming star. The women’s game could use one of them.