Any acclaim for Scottie Scheffler’s groundbreaking 2023 has frequently been accompanied by a warning.
Since 2000, he has had the best ball-striking season statistically for anyone who isn’t Tiger Woods.
He collected 17 top 10s and 2 victories, including a commanding victory at THE PLAYERS Championship. Yes, but even if he had been able to putt average, he would have won far more.
“What’s exactly going on with the putter?” was a question that Scheffler was asked after every significant match and near miss.
He finished 151st in Strokes Gained Putting. He would claim that although he was making solid putts, they were missing the mark. He was obviously working on it. Compared to other pros on the TOUR, he spends the most time on the practice green. But it was not producing any outcomes.
Thankfully, at last, it has been. After a Saturday 65, Scheffler leads by three strokes in the Hero World Challenge after three rounds in which he has gained nearly four shots on the greens.
“It’s nice to watch a few putts land. I’m doing really well,” he said.
It has resulted in modifications to coaching, viewpoint, and equipment.
Scheffler started working with Phil Kenyon, a well-known putting coach who frequently shuttles between 6 or 7 clients on the practice green during tournament week, ahead of the Ryder Cup this year. The two worked on striking the right balance of athleticism. Don’t be too robotic, but make sure you have sound mechanics. Focus on your setup, but don’t try to be perfect.
At Albany Golf Club, Scheffler has discovered the ideal balance despite the fact that it may seem like a thin line. Even while Scheffler’s performance might still be a one-week anomaly, it feels more long-lasting because he seems more at ease talking about his difficulties and playing the greens.
He declared on Saturday, “I’m much more clear about what I need to be working on.”
Scheffler plays the game fairly simply and doesn’t like to wax poetic at news conferences. During his pre-tournament media availability, he took over 2 minutes to respond to a question and was candid about the projects he was working on. Scheffler was not one to often share such nuances.
“It’s a bit difficult to explain,” he began, then went on to explain.
Scheffler stated, “I felt like I was using too much, like too many hands and stuff like that in my stroke.” With his complete swing, he linked it to a similar problem he had in college when his hands were too frequently underneath the club. He added that it started to show up in his putting, where he was having excessive heel strikes and pulls. He explained how he can now switch off his head and use his physical abilities because his mechanics are finally back in a good place.”
“I think I’ve reached a point in my putting where I can rely on my instincts and feel to kind of switch off and just try to hit putts and be comfortable with the outcome whether it goes in or not,” he remarked.
They are scheduled to arrive this week.
Of course, there is also the putter itself. Scheffler now uses a blade putter built by relatively unknown bespoke manufacturer Olson instead of his Scotty Cameron blade.
He added, “It’s very similar to some stuff that I used in the past,” citing the putter’s alignment aid as one of the key features that has helped him hit the ball with greater consistency.
Whatever the relative merits of each component, the combination produces a perfect dish. This week, he has continued to hit the ball exceptionally well (ranking second in SG: Tee-to-Green), and he has also gained more self-assurance when putting.
To make two eagles, four birdies, and a bogey, he required 26 putts. Two of the course’s five par 5s, holes 3 and 15, each had 15-footers that made the eagles possible. He hit a 16-foot birdie putt on hole number seven, two 14-foot birdie putts on holes nine and twelve, and touched in for a birdie on the par-5 sixth. However, the 7-footer he made to save par on the 16th hole stands out as his most memorable putt.
“I never take a foot into a hole expecting to have to make up ground. If you can make a putt for par while you’re within the 6- to 10-foot range, that’s good momentum.” Scheffler said.
On Sunday, those putts are going to be crucial.
He’s three shots ahead of Matt Fitzpatrick at 16 under. There is only one other golfer within five strokes, Justin Thomas (11-under). Scheffler’s skill at striking the ball will get him a few birdies on its own. He will be hard to beat if his putter can help him out of any uncomfortable situations.
Scheffler has previously been very close to victory in the Bahamas. He has placed second at the Hero in back-to-back years behind Viktor Hovland.
Sunday is Scheffler’s chance to put an end to the near misses and the warnings now that he is back on the greens.
