Scottie Scheffler has praised Tiger Woods’ return to professional golf as ‘miraculous’, expressing admiration for Woods’ ability to return to competition after long breaks and perform well, while also discussing his own return to competition and his improvements in putting.
At Glance
‣ Scottie Scheffler has praised Tiger Woods’ return to professional golf, describing it as ‘miraculous’. Woods is preparing for his return at the Hero World Challenge after a five-month break due to ankle surgery.
‣ Scheffler, who is also returning to competition after a two-month break, expressed his admiration for Woods’ ability to return to the game and perform well after long periods of absence.
‣ Despite his own successful year, Scheffler believes Jon Rahm should win the PGA Tour’s player of the year award due to his four wins, including a major, at the beginning of the year.
‣ Scheffler has been working with renowned putting coach Phil Kenyon to improve his putting, which was a weak point in his game. He believes his mechanics are now in a good place, allowing him to use his athletic ability more effectively.
Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top golfer, has described Tiger Woods’ return to professional golf as ‘miraculous’. Woods is set to return to the sport at this week’s Hero World Challenge. It’s been a while since he last competed, having withdrawn from the Masters in April.
Following his withdrawal, Woods underwent ankle surgery. Five months later, he’s been cleared to return to action. Scheffler, who’s also returning to competition after a nearly two-month break post-Ryder Cup, expressed his amazement at Woods’ form.
“I love looking down the range and seeing him hit balls and hearing that sound,” Scheffler said. “He’s still got the same sound, which is amazing.” He made these comments during his pre-tournament press conference.
Scheffler admitted to feeling rusty after his two-month hiatus. He marveled at Woods’ ability to return after nearly a year and still play fine golf. “For him to come back and make cuts in majors and do what he has been doing in his comebacks, it’s really hard to comprehend until you do it out here.”
He acknowledged that reentering competitive golf is a unique challenge. “For him to be able to do it like he has been doing it for so many years is pretty miraculous.” Scheffler’s rise to the top coincided with a period when Woods was mostly sidelined due to injuries.
Scheffler recalled fondly his first time playing with Woods at the 2020 Masters. “The first time I played with him was the Masters we had during COVID. It was in the fall and he wasn’t really at the top of his game.” He remembered the day Woods scored a 10 on No. 12 at Augusta.
“He’s just different than everybody else,” Scheffler said. He admired Woods’ competitiveness and drive, even when he was not at his best.
Scheffler and Jon Rahm are the top contenders for the PGA Tour’s player of the year award. Despite not having won since April, Scheffler believes Rahm deserves the award. “I think with the way Jon played at the beginning of the year with his four wins and one of them being a major [he deserves to win],” Scheffler explained.
Scheffler has been working with renowned putting coach Phil Kenyon to improve his putting game. “I saw him two full days in Dallas before Ryder Cup and since then he’s come to Dallas one for time for two days to work, and he’s here this week. A lot of it’s been done over video,” he said.
Scheffler feels that his mechanics are in a good place now. “Phil has helped me get into place where my mechanics are good enough where I can kind of turn off and use my athletic ability to kind of help,” he said.
