Scottie Scheffler had not played competitive golf since the Tour Championship in September (Image: Getty Images)
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has made a striking change to his putting technique, debuting a new saw/claw grip at the Hero World Challenge following a three-month hiatus from competitive golf.
After clinching victories at prestigious tournaments such as the Masters and The Players Championship, Scheffler took a well-deserved break post his Tour Championship triumph at East Lake. Despite ranking 77th in putting strokes gained last season, he led in strokes gained from tee to green and approach, indicating his relentless pursuit of perfection in his game.
During Thursday’s round in The Bahamas, Scheffler showcased his adaptability by switching between his traditional grip for longer putts and the innovative saw/claw grip for those within 10 feet, carding an impressive 5-under round that left him just three shots off the pace set by leader Cameron Young.
Scheffler has revealed his secret weapon on the green, a mallet putter, which he believes gives him an edge in competition (Image: Getty Images)
In a bid to further enhance his performance on the greens, Scheffler has been working with renowned putting coach Phil Kenyon since 2023.
He recently revealed their initial conversations about the grip change, stating: “I’m always looking for ways to improve and I felt like this was something that we had looked at last year when Phil and I first started working together, but it was really our first time working together and it’s something that’s different than what I’ve done in the past.”
Scheffler has revealed his secret weapon on the green, a mallet putter, which he believes gives him an edge in competition.
“For me, going to a mallet was a big change,” Scheffler said.
“I really persisted with the blade putter for a long time, but I just feel like your stroke has to be so perfect to start the ball on line, where the mallet just gives you a little bit more margin for error. So, I’d love to see Scottie try a mallet. But selfishly for me, Scottie does everything else so well that he’s given the rest of us a chance.”
“Took a look at it this offseason and figured this is a good week to try stuff just because you can practice and practice and do all the stuff at home, but there’s just something different about being in competition. I really enjoyed the way it felt, I felt like I’m seeing some improvements in my stroke.”
The strategic switch came after a nudge from Rory McIlroy, who had previously suggested the change before Scheffler’s triumph at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
His decision to stick with the mallet putter paid off handsomely as he clinched victory with a commanding five-shot lead.