Scottie Scheffler has struggled to make short putts in recent years. This week’s Genesis Invitational saw his putting woes become clear.
So, what does the No. 1 player in the world do when his flat stick doesn’t work properly? He holed out twice in the first 11 holes Friday.
Scheffler’s first hole out After starting the round with four consecutive pars, he birdied the par-4 fifth hole.
The 27-year-old was just outside the green at the bottom of the hole and had plenty of room to work with. He broke it into pieces and ran it all the way to the hole where the bird was.
He added another birdie by closing to 4 feet from the sixth hole.
However, his two-hole out was something to behold.
On the par-5 11th hole, he left his second shot in the greenside bunker. 2022 Masters Champion Hits a Great Shot Get out of the sand trap And when it bounced into Eagle’s cup, the crowd went wild.
You could also argue that this was a bit of a coincidence, considering that if the ball missed the hole, it would have rolled too far. But around the greens, precision is paramount.
Scheffler missed an incredible eight putts from inside 10 feet on the first day. On Friday, he reminded everyone why he is ranked No. 1 in the world. He doesn’t necessarily have to make a successful putt to win a tournament.
The eagle was nice, but Scheffler quickly dropped his shot on No. 12 and, as you might expect, had a three-putt for bogey.
As of this article’s publication, the former Texas Longhorn ranks seventh in strokes gained off the tee and second in strokes gained around the green, gaining 4.7 strokes per field. . Those two holeouts certainly helped.
But Scheffler has lost three strokes since picking up the flat stick and ranks 67th in strokes gained putts. Perhaps putting a wedge in it will help his cause. Or you could find a way to increase your hole outs to avoid losing more strokes on the green.
Either way, no one can ignore Scheffler because he can hit shots far enough to keep scoring even when his putter is ice cold.
Savannah Lee Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through.For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough On all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirls and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
