Even after he had climbed to the top of the world rankings, there were some doubts about Scheffler’s game.
The statistics proved he was the best from tee to green. They also proved he was among the worst with the putter.
In late 2023, a call was made to English putting guru Phil Kenyon – whose client list is a who’s who of major champions – in a bid to improve with the flatstick.
Attention was particularly paid to Scheffler’s reading of the greens and increasing the stability of his grip.
Switching to a claw grip – where the right hand acts as a pincer lower down the shaft – has transformed Scheffler into one of the most reliable putters in the game.
The tweak helped him become the first player to defend the PGA Tour’s Players Championship, win a second Masters, Olympic gold and five other titles in a stellar 2024 that also had echoed Woods.
Leading the putting statistics after three rounds at Portrush, having holed 97% of his putts inside five feet and 90% of those within 10 feet, put him in command. He holed putts of 14, 15 and 16 feet on Sunday.
“[The grip] was something we tested out last year and felt comfortable from the start,” Scheffler said.
“I use it as we get closer to the hole, lag putting. Outside of 15 to 20 feet, I’m still putting conventional.
“It was something we felt could help us improve, and so far it has.”
While improved putting has taken Scheffler to Woods-esque heights, will it help him move closer to replicating his iconic predecessor’s achievements over the longer term? That remains to be seen over the coming years.