There have at all times been “buts” when it comes to Scottie Scheffler initially of his PGA Tour seasons: He’s an important younger participant, however he hasn’t gained but. He’s the world No. 1, however he did not win throughout the summer time. He’s hanging the ball at a historic clip, however his placing could also be traditionally dangerous. He is one of the best participant on the planet, however he’s lower than 100% following an harm.
Despite these “buts,” Scheffler produced jaw-dropping moments and head-turning victories, so let your thoughts wander and as an alternative think about what occurs when the “buts” develop into “ands.”
In 2022, Scheffler entered the PGA Tour season with out a win to his identify. As some questioned his capacity to shut, nobody anticipated he would kick off this run of success. By the time 2023 rolled round, Scheffler had ascended to the world No. 1 rating thanks to a four-victory marketing campaign; this regardless of not coming into the winner’s circle since slipping on the inexperienced jacket that prior April.
He picked up two extra wins that 12 months with out a cooperative putter, which saved a generational ball striker from being thought-about a generational participant. Plus, as his wins got here in February and March, he once more left the meat of the schedule for the sphere.
Scheffler entered 2024 ranked 162nd out of 193 gamers on the PGA Tour in strokes gained placing. Scheffler put a brand new mallet-style putter in rotation throughout his sixth begin of the season, considering he would give it an opportunity within the warmth of the battle. No matter how he fared, he promised to preserve it within the bag all 4 days on the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Well, Scheffler gained that match by 5 strokes. The putter has not left the bag since.
Scheffler’s 2024 season was past historic. He picked up his second Masters, six different PGA Tour wins and the gold medal on the Paris Olympics. Despite the accolades, the reward and the lofty comparisons, Scheffler nonetheless believed he may enhance.
He once more subject examined a brand new technique on the greens, a claw-style placing grip from inside roughly 15 toes to restore some struggles from shut vary. Debuting the brand new course of on the Hero World Challenge, he got here away with a six-stroke victory that allow the golf world know, sure, he may get even higher.
Scheffler’s win within the Bahamas got here lower than a month earlier than information broke of his offseason mishap. He suffered a hand harm from improperly utilizing a wine glass to roll out ravioli dough whereas cooking with family and friends throughout the holidays. Scheffler was pressured to sideline himself — not solely from enjoying however from making ready.
“It’s a bit easier this way. I’m going to try to continue this into the future. This is a little easier offseason than last,” Scheffler stated Sunday after profitable the American Express, his twentieth victory on the PGA Tour. “It’s one of these issues. You take a look at final 12 months, it’s totally different simply because I had made what I felt was a lot progress within the offseason, after which to have that principally taken away by 4-6 weeks of inactivity from golf, that has an impact.
“To fine-tune the skills that we have out here takes a lot of work. Like the chipping: There’s a big difference between hitting a chip to a foot versus 5 feet. If I hit it to a foot, I’m probably never going to miss that foot putt. But if you hit it to 5 feet, your percentages of making that putt go down. When you just kind of see that over the course of four days, that has an effect on where my game is at. So being able to have the whole offseason to prepare to come out here … to have that time to prepare and get my body and mind right in order to compete, I think, really paid off early in the season.”
Scheffler’s preparation is one of his many separators, but it surely doesn’t obtain the identical consideration as what he accomplishes over 72 holes most weeks. His preparation is neither as breathtaking as his iron play nor as funky as his footwork. It has not seen noticeable enchancment like his placing, and it can’t be measured like strokes gained.
But it is preparation on which Scheffler hangs his hat.
In between dodging comparisons to Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, who he lately joined as the one gamers to declare 20 PGA Tour wins and 4 main championships earlier than the age of 30, and answering a special variation of the identical query, questioning how this triumph feels as opposed to the remainder, Scheffler beats the identical drum over and over once more: put together, put together, put together.
Once Scheffler was ready to put together himself weekly coming back from harm final 12 months, he will need to have felt unstoppable. He gained six of his final 12 tournaments of 2025, together with main victories on the PGA Championship and The Open. He has not completed exterior the highest 10 in a match since The Players Championship final March, now virtually 11 months in the past.
Entering the 12 months at hand (no pun meant), Scheffler spent the previous offseason within the gymnasium making ready for the lengthy, grueling haul that could be a full PGA Tour marketing campaign. The space on which he wished to enhance this time round was not a skillset however moderately his total endurance — one other trait spectators are unable to see.
Through one match, effectively, to date so good.
Scheffler having the ability to put together this offseason — honing his craft, figuring out a spot that continues to hassle him and making an attempt to enhance upon it — has led to him answering the bell every time it rings.
Scheffler is a good participant, and he continues to shut tournaments when in rivalry. Scheffler is the world No. 1, and he’s using momentum from the earlier summer time into a brand new season. Scheffler’s ball hanging stays historic, and his placing is among the many finest within the sport.
Scheffler is probably the most dominant participant on the planet, and now, he’s 100% wholesome initially of the season.
