At Glance
‣ Scottie Scheffler’s exceptional ball striking contrasts sharply with his persistent struggles in putting, significantly affecting his scoring potential.
‣ Despite leading in several strokes gained categories, Scheffler’s performance is hindered by his putting, ranking outside the top 100 in strokes gained: putting and around-the-green.
‣ Attempts to address his putting issues through equipment changes and working with a respected coach have yet to yield significant improvements, continuing to challenge his performance on the green.
Stop me if you've heard this on Scottie.
• Tee to green: 1st
• Putting: 67th (of 70)
• 10 (!) birdie looks inside 15 feet (including a holed eagle at 1)
• Shot 68
• Could have (should have?) shot 64— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS)
Scottie Scheffler, world No.1, is at it again. His ball striking at the Genesis Invitational? Simply incredible. Yet, his first round at Riviera Country Club brought up that all-too-familiar issue. Yeah, you guessed it: putting.
It’s kinda perplexing, really. And, oh-so-frustrating for Scheffler. Being the best golfer in the world but struggling with the putter? It’s been the narrative for the last couple of years.
Thursday’s round was a classic example. Scheffler shot a three-under 68. Sounds good, right? An eagle, four birdies, and three bogeys. But, he was tied for 10th, four shots behind Patrick Cantlay, the round one leader. And, believe it or not, it could’ve been way better.
Why? His putting was a disaster. First in strokes gained tee to green, third off the tee, fourth around the green. Second in greens in regulation and driving accuracy. But 66th in putting. Out of 70. Ouch.
He lost 2.6 strokes on the greens. Despite having 10 birdie chances inside 15 feet. Including a stunning eagle on the first hole. It’s like déjà vu with Scheffler’s putting.
His 2024 season tells a similar tale. Top-notch tee to green, approach, total, and off the tee. But his putting? Outside the top 100. It’s staggering, really.
Last year was even more shocking. Top 10 in almost all strokes gained categories. Except putting, where he was 162nd. Justin Ray, the golf stats guru, pointed out something interesting. Scheffler has had 12 rounds in the last two seasons with 4+ strokes gained tee to green but negative putting. That’s more than double anyone else on tour.
Despite these green woes, Scheffler ended last season with the seventh-best scoring average in PGA Tour history. Plus, two victories. It speaks volumes about his ball striking.
He’s tried to fix his putting. Equipment changes, working with Phil Kenyon, a respected coach. But Thursday at Riviera showed the struggle continues. It’s like watching a thriller where you know the hero’s flaw might be his undoing. Yet, you can’t help but root for him. Will he conquer the greens? Only time will tell.
