Scottie Scheffler, a decorated amateur and junior golfer, didn’t have to worry about whether she would be successful at the professional level. It was more a question of when.
Last year, he smashed the door with four victories – including his maiden major at the Masters — four runners-up, and eleven top-10 finishes. In 2023, the world No. 1 will still be a force to reckon with. He has never missed a single cut in 19 events and 15 top-10 finishes, including two wins, one runner-up finish and his worst result of T-45 from October.
Scheffler said on Tuesday, ahead of the British Open in Royal Liverpool, “I’m probably satisfied if I were asked when I was a college student if I would be 27 with, I think six wins, one major and a players, then I’d say yes, I am.” Then you come back and win one tournament, then want to win another and two becomes three. “It’s never enough.”
Scheffler is the PGA Tour leader in Strokes Gained Total (Off The Tee), Approach to Green, and Tee-to-Green. He is first in driving, third in greens-in-regulation and hasn’t been outside of the top five since the RBC Heritage in April. He’s not happy with his season or even last year.
He said, “I was nowhere near satisfied with my season last year.” “Golf’s one of those sports where you never really feel satisfied. “I think you always want more.”
Scheffler has a strong desire to win in 2023. But, he doesn’t think that major success is going to make or break the year. “A year without winning a big major would be similar to my other 25 years,” he said.
Scheffler said, “It’s fun to win a big one, but at the end I won’t be upset or frustrated because I didn’t win a main.” It’s different from other sports. It’s important to me that I play and show up with the right attitude. “At times, I am really good at it and other times I struggle. But that’s my focus.”
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Scheffler is a difficult player to analyze these days. He has a streak of finishes that includes T5, T2,T3,T4,T5. Most pros will tell you that the players who are successful on Tour each week are those with the best putting or ball striking skills. Scheffler’s stats are above average for all categories, except Strokes Gained : Putting (137th place) and One-Putt Percentage (174th), even though he is first in Strokes Gained : Approach.
Scheffler does not think that his putting poses a problem, despite those numbers. He’ll tell that the problem is his golf style and perception.
Scheffler said, “I was probably seen as a bit boring and didn’t show much emotion or whatever else you can think of.” “But I have back-to-back events that I could’ve won, but I putted badly, and it has become a thing where I watch highlights of my rounds, and the announcers say, ‘Well this is the part he struggles with’.”
It’s almost like, you’re saying it all the time, and then you see me miss that 12-footer, you’re like ‘Oh, here it is.’ Scheffler said, “I don’t really pay attention to this deal. He’s still struggling.” “I’m very excited about the things I am working on at this moment. I’m making a lot more good putts. Soon, many of those putts that are falling into the hole will be in the center instead of avoiding the sides.
Scheffler doesn’t care if he wins or loses this week. He is confident in his efforts to improve and hopes that the results will follow soon. Don’t mention his putting.
