Scott's winless yet solid season has been rewarded with a first Tour Championship berth in three years, as well as a decent FedExCup rank of 13th for the finale.

He will start the Tour Championship with an adjusted score of three-under-par, seven shots behind FedExCup leader Justin Thomas.

Last week's BMW winner Thomas will take a two-stroke lead into the start of the Tour Championship.

He will tee off on Thursday with a 10-under-par total.

The next four players on the points list will start at eight-under through five-under, respectively, while Nos. 6-10 will start at four-under.

The total will regress by one stroke every five players until those ranked 26th through 30th start at even par.

From there, the winner claims the Tour Championship and the US$15 million bonus for the FedExCup title.

Under the previous format, the top-five points leaders could automatically win the FedEx with a Tour Championship victory.

"It is probably better for someone running mid-pack," Scott told AAP.

Scott boasts two runner-ups among an impressive eight top-10 results from 17 events this season.

RIGHT: Scott will start the Tour Championship seven shots behind leader Justin Thomas. PHOTO: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

He contended at the Masters, US Open and US PGA Championship, although he missed the cut at The Open.

It is why the former World No.1 Scott will take his FedExCup result with a grain of salt.

"I think it's taken me a long time to realise you have to take the FedExCup for what it is," Scott said.

"It is a big old exhibition at the end of the year with a pot of gold at the end.

"You can play great all year and not win (the FedEx) and you can play average all year and win it.

"And you can play somewhere in between ... it's hard to know exactly what it is."

The major criticism of the new format is that a player can shoot the lowest 72-hole score this week but not win the tournament.

However, official world ranking points will be awarded based on where a player's scratch score would have finished.

"It's now going to be interesting to see how the format shakes out," Scott said.

"I'm sure someone is going to be very happy with it and I'm sure someone is going to be very disappointed with it."

- Evin Priest, Australian Associated Press