NASSAU, Bahamas — Scottie Scheffler introduced a brand new placing grip to the Hero World Problem and felt sufficient enchancment to be happy with the outcome, a 5-under 67 that left him three photographs behind Cameron Younger on Thursday.
Younger was enjoying for the primary time for the reason that BMW Championship greater than three months in the past and located nice success on and across the greens of Albany Golf Membership, chipping superbly and holing 4 birdie putts from 15 toes or longer for his 64.
He led by two photographs over Justin Thomas in his first competitors since his daughter was born a number of weeks in the past. Thomas ran off 4 straight birdies late in his spherical and was a fraction of an inch away with a fifth.
The massive shock was Scheffler, the No. 1 participant in golf who seemed pretty much as good as he has all 12 months in compiling eight victories, together with an Olympic gold medal. His iron play has no equal. His placing at occasions has saved him from successful extra or successful larger. He determined to attempt to a “noticed” placing grip from about 20 toes or nearer — the putter rests between his proper thumb and his fingers, together with his left index finger pointed down the shaft.
“I am all the time on the lookout for methods to enhance,” Scheffler mentioned.
Scheffler final 12 months started working with famend placing teacher Phil Kenyon, and he says Kenyon talked about the choice placing grip again then.
“However it was actually our first time working collectively and it is one thing that is totally different than what I’ve finished prior to now,” Scheffler mentioned. “This 12 months I had considered it occasionally, and it was one thing that we had simply mentioned let’s desk that for the tip of the season, check out it.
“Figured it is a good week to strive stuff.”
He opened with a wedge to 2 toes and he missed a 7-foot birdie putt on the par-5 third. However he holed a birdie from about the identical distance on the subsequent par 5, No. 6, and holed a sliding 6-footer on the ninth to save lots of par.
His longest putt was his final gap, from 12 toes for a closing birdie.
“I actually loved the way in which it felt,” he mentioned. “I felt like I am seeing some enhancements in my stroke.”
Younger, considered one of the best energetic participant with out a PGA Tour victory, is treating this vacation match as the beginning of a brand new season. He labored on getting stronger and received again to the fundamentals in his highly effective golf swing.
And on at the present time, he was dialed in together with his quick sport. He solely struggled to save lots of par twice and saved piling up birdies in his bogey-free spherical on a perfect day within the Bahamas.
“The wind wasn’t blowing a lot, so it was comparatively stress-free,” Younger mentioned.
Patrick Cantlay, together with Scheffler enjoying for the primary time for the reason that Presidents Cup, additionally was at 67 with Ludvig Åberg, Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala.
Thomas additionally took this event to do some experimenting in opposition to a 20-man discipline. He has utilizing a 46-inch driver at dwelling — slightly greater than an inch longer than his common driver — in a bid to realize extra velocity. On a day with little wind, on a golf course with some room off the tee, he determined to place it in play.
“Simply with it being slightly bit longer, I simply form of must get the membership out in entrance of me and get on prime of it slightly bit extra,” Thomas mentioned. “I drove the hell out of it on the again, in order that was good to strive one thing totally different and have it go slightly bit higher on the again.”
Thomas mentioned the longer driver offers him 2 or 3 mph in ball velocity and 10 further yards within the air.
“It’s extremely particular for programs, however gave it a strive,” he mentioned.
Circumstances had been simple sufficient that solely 4 gamers in discipline failed to interrupt par, with Jason Day citing the rear with a 75.
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