NASSAU, Bahamas — Scottie Scheffler introduced a brand new placing grip to the Hero World Problem and felt sufficient enchancment to be glad with the end result, a 5-under 67 that left him three photographs behind Cameron Younger on Thursday.
Younger was enjoying for the primary time because the 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 just a few 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 large shock was Scheffler, the No. 1 participant in golf who appeared pretty much as good as he has all yr in compiling eight victories, together with an Olympic gold medal. His iron play has no equal. His placing at occasions has stored him from profitable extra or profitable greater. He determined to attempt to a claw placing grip from about 20 toes or nearer — the putter rests between his proper thumb and his fingers, along with his left index finger pointed down the shaft.
“I’m at all times searching for methods to enhance,” Scheffler stated.
Scheffler final yr started working with famend placing teacher Phil Kenyon, and he says Kenyon talked about the choice placing grip again then.
“But it surely was actually our first time working collectively and it’s one thing that’s completely different than what I’ve finished up to now,” Scheffler stated. “This yr I had thought of it every now and then, and it was one thing that we had simply stated let’s desk that for the top of the season, check out it.
“Figured this can be 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 stated. “I felt like I’m seeing some enhancements in my stroke.”
Younger, considered one of the best energetic participant with no PGA Tour victory, is treating this vacation match as the beginning of a brand new season. He labored on getting stronger and acquired again to the fundamentals in his highly effective golf swing.
And on at the present time, he was dialed in along with his brief sport. He solely struggled to save lots of par twice and stored piling up birdies in his bogey-free spherical on an excellent day within the Bahamas.
“The wind wasn’t blowing a lot so it was comparatively stress-free,” Younger stated.
Patrick Cantlay, together with Scheffler enjoying for the primary time because the 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 subject. He has utilizing a 46-inch driver at house — a little bit greater than an inch longer than his common driver — in a bid to realize extra pace. 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 a little bit bit longer, I simply sort of need to get the membership out in entrance of me and get on high of it a little bit bit extra,” Thomas stated. “I drove the hell out of it on the again, in order that was good to strive one thing completely different and have it go a little bit bit higher on the again.”
Thomas stated the longer driver provides him 2 or 3 mph in ball pace and 10 additional yards within the air.
“It’s very particular for programs, however gave it a strive,” he stated.
Situations have been simple sufficient that solely 4 gamers in subject failed to interrupt par, with Jason Day citing the rear with a 75.
