Challenged briefly on Sunday in the season-ending Tour Championship, Scheffler responded with three straight birdies to made winning look as inevitable as it has seemed all year. 

He closed with a four-under 67 for a four-shot victory over Collin Morikawa to capture the FedExCup and its $25 million ($A37 million) prize.

That pushed his season earnings, including bonuses, to just over $62.3 million ($A92 million).

Australia's former world No.1 Adam Scott played well all week with rounds of 66, 67, 68 and 67 to finish tied fourth, 11 shots behind the winner. 

Scheffler's year was the greatest since Tiger Woods won eight times in 2006, including six in a row and two majors, all while dealing with the death of his father. 

Scheffler's eight wins included the Masters, The Players Championship, an Olympic gold medal and the Tour Championship that enabled him to finally claim the FedExCup.

His seven PGA Tour titles are the most since Woods in 2007.

"We'll look back on 2024 and it's obviously one of the best individual years that a player has had for a long time," Rory McIlroy said.

This was the third straight year Scheffler came to East Lake as the top seed, meaning he started the tournament at 10-under par with a two-shot lead. Two years ago, he lost a six-shot lead in the final round to McIlroy.

Scheffler led by at least five shots after each round. But there was a harrowing moment as storm clouds began to threaten. 

He made two straight bogeys, the second one on a pure shank from a bunker on the reachable par-4 8th hole. 

Morikawa made birdie, and a seven-shot deficit he faced after two holes was down to a mere two shots with 10 holes to play.

And then it was over.

Scheffler hit his tee shot to 5 feet on the par-3 9th for birdie. He hit wedge to 3 feet on No. 10 for birdie, and then swirled in a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-3 11th.

Just like that, his lead was back to five shots. And when he holed a 15-foot eagle putt on the 14th hole, it was a matter of crossing the finish line.

Scheffler referred to the FedExCup as a season-long race being "silly" because everything came down to the final week at East Lake. There was no doubting the FedExCup got a most appropriate champion.

Scheffler only finished out of the top-10 three times in his 19 starts. He had a pair of runner-up finishes to go along with seven PGA Tour titles.

"He's the guy to beat every single week," Justin Thomas said.

 "I don't think people understand how hard that is to do, when you're expected to win, when you're the favourite to win, when every single thing you're doing is being looked at – good and bad – on the golf course, and how hard it is to get in your own little zone and own little world and truly just quiet the noise."

Morikawa won $US12.5 million ($A18.5 million) for finishing second. Sahith Theegala closed with a 64 and finished third, earning a $US7.5 million ($A11 bonus.

Scott tied with Xander Schauffele (71) and Russell Henley (67) for fourth, earning about $A7 million each.