Statistically, it’s simple to see why Scottie Scheffler was named PGA Tour Participant of the 12 months for final season.
He ranked first in strokes gained whole, off-the-tee, approach-the-green and tee-to-green. His tee-to-green efficiency (2.615) was practically 0.7 pictures higher than the subsequent greatest participant, Rory McIlroy (1.938), and nearly double the golf writers’ participant of the 12 months, Jon Rahm (1.343). Scheffler additionally was fifth in strokes gained: around-the-green.
The one evident weak spot – and this side garnered a lot consideration – was Scheffler’s placing, the place he ranked No. 162 on Tour.
“Final 12 months my ball placing was clearly superb, and my placing wasn’t nearly as good as I believe it wanted to be,” Scheffler stated Wednesday at Kapalua. “So, after I look again on the season, that was one of many issues that I form of tried to concentrate on within the offseason. I normally have one side that I attempt to put just a little bit of additional emphasis on, if that is smart, to the place I’m nonetheless all the time engaged on all elements of my recreation, however all through the offseason I’ve just a little bit extra time on my arms to concentrate on various things.”
Scheffler offered some previous examples:
His food plan.
His health.
Shot-making.
And this 12 months? No shock it was the flatstick, which Scheffler stated saved him from closing out extra tournaments than the 2 he captured in 2023. He spent appreciable time with placing coach Phil Kenyon for the reason that Ryder Cup whereas additionally simulating high-pressure placing conditions by means of video games of wolf together with his buddies.
Eventually month’s Hero World Problem, Scheffler noticed “just a little little bit of the fruits of that.”
“I had a pleasant placing week,” Scheffler stated, “and I really feel just like the ball’s coming off my blade very nice proper now, and I’m trying ahead to popping out this week and seeing the place I’m at.”
Scheffler, who earlier in the summertime final 12 months known as his placing struggles a media narrative, lastly opened up about his placing final 12 months in Rome, revealing that he had been combating retaining his arms excessive throughout his stroke. The reducing of his arms, he stated, was inflicting the toe of his putter to rise and him to typically miss-hit the ball towards the heel. He additionally “wasn’t utilizing the road in the proper approach” when lining up his ball.
“It’s simply little issues like that,” Scheffler stated then. “I haven’t felt like I’ve made an enormous change. I simply form of obtained my thoughts proper.”
On Wednesday, Scheffler was requested if his prolific ball-striking and Tour-leading greens in regulation share (74.43%) affected the psychological side of his placing. In different phrases, when he’s hitting it to 12 ft on a regular basis, does it make him really feel like he’s not making as many putts as he ought to?
Scheffler gave an insightful response:
“If you happen to take a look at the top-10 gamers on the earth, constantly they’re all the time the very best ball-strikers,” Scheffler stated. “Ball-striking, week to week, retains you on the high of the leaderboard, and it’s the man that occurs to gap the putts. So, whenever you see guys, particularly like should you take a look at my 12 months final 12 months, whenever you see me on TV loads placing from 10 to fifteen ft, I can’t management the place that putt is. If you happen to hit 6-iron into the inexperienced, you’ll be able to’t all the time management the place that putt is. If you happen to’re hitting a greenside bunker shot or chip, you realize the place the form of putt you wish to have goes to be from, in order that’s a component you’ll be able to management.
“Generally, whenever you don’t see the putts stepping into, it’s not all the time simple to achieve momentum whenever you’re placing from 10 to fifteen ft. Generally it’s good to get a couple of putts at the start of the spherical from perhaps 4 to eight ft the place you simply see the ball go within the gap. Generally that may assist momentum.
“Golf’s a humorous recreation. There’s lots of totally different stuff that goes right into a spherical of golf. I might agree together with your assertion that whenever you see guys placing for birdie loads and so they don’t go in, they’re nonetheless going to be on the high of the leaderboard, versus you see any individual placing for par from 12 to fifteen ft, they’re not exhibiting that on TV, as a result of he’s not anyplace close to the lead.”
Nonetheless, placing stays Scheffler’s greatest decision to begin the brand new 12 months.
“Hoping to enhance on a couple of issues … in order that I can end off a couple of extra tournaments,” Scheffler stated. “That’s just about it.”
