How Scheffler's Putting Cost Him A Chance Of Major Glory In 2023

When Scottie Scheffler is putting well, there is little other players in the field can do to surpass him. 

The world No 1 is one of the most likeable characters on the PGA Tour and has perhaps one of the most unique swings around, thanks to his incredible footwork that is perhaps more akin to dancing than golf.

It is telling of his brilliance that when looking at his results for this season, the 2022 Masters Champion has finished outside the top 20 just twice in 20 events. 

That is an impressive return compared to last season, where the 27-year-old missed the cut in four tournaments and dropped out of the top 20 five times. 

While the 2022-23 campaign is not quite finished, Scheffler is playing more consistently than he was last year according to his stats. He currently ranks first for total strokes gained, strokes amassed from tee-to-green, off-the-tee and in approach on the PGA Tour. 

In fact, he seems to have improved so much since last season that he has gained almost a whole stroke on his strokes gained tally, which has increased from 1.677 to 2.616 - an uplift of 0.939. 

That is an impressive number, but the thing is, Scheffler has not been quite as clinical this term. He won four times last year and has won just twice in the last 12 months. 

So, what's letting him down? Well, looking at the numbers, it's glaringly obvious, and well documented, that it's his putting that has been costing him.

Throughout the bag, Scheffler is firing on all cylinders, ranking fifth in the field for strokes gained off the tee and in approach at last week's Open. 

But his putting stats are leaving a lot to be desired, with Scheffler dropping to 149th in the standings for strokes gained with his flat stick. 

Scheffler has openly admitted before that he has struggled with his putting this season saying at the Memorial Tournament that his putting "wasn't the best."

He was seen spending a fair bit of time with his coaching team working on the practice greens at Royal Liverpool this weekend and before the tournament admitted that while some have raised alarm bells over his form on the greens, he is not worried.

"The things that I'm working on right now I feel very excited about," he said prior to The Open. 

"I'm hitting a lot of good putts. Pretty soon, a lot of those good putts will start falling in the middle of the hole instead of dodging around the side of it.

"I have a lot of faith in what I'm working on right now, and I'm hoping to see some results soon."

In the end, his practice didn't quite pay off, with the American losing 4.962 strokes on the field with his flat stick at Royal Liverpool.

This has been a trend for Scheffler at each of the Major championships this year.

At the Masters, Scheffler finished first for Greens in Regulation, but rock bottom of the field for cumulative putts made. 

He'd place T2 at the PGA Championship, three shots shy of Brooks Koepka, and again his putting held him back compared to his stats, ranking 34th for strokes gained with his putter, while being first for strokes gained from tee-to-green. 

An opening round of 67 would set him up for a T3 finish at the US Open, but again, while he impressed with his driving and short game, Scheffler would come in 47th for strokes gained with the flat stick. 

He has recently been spotted experimenting with a new Scotty Cameron putter, which shows that he's trying to look for changes to turn his form around on the greens.

While his putter may have cost him some higher placings, the American is yet to miss the cut at an event this year. 

The reigning Players Champion in fact has pocketed a whopping $19,138,342 this season already, and he's not worried about the issue. 

Interestingly at Sawgrass he finished 48th in the field for strokes gained with his putter, but was almost an entire shot ahead of the field, finishing first for strokes gained from tee-to-green at the tournament.

For Scheffler, while it seems he can still challenge at the big tournaments with a cold putter, if he really does want to take the next step and win a second Major, putting is the one area of his game that he needs to improve. 

SCHEFFLER'S SEASON BY NUMBERS

• Money earned: $19,138,342
• Wins 2 (Players Championship; WM Phoenix Open) 
• Major finishes: Masters T10, PGA Championship T2, US Open T3, The Open T23.