Xander Schauffele insists his remodelled swing stays a piece in progress as he seems to capitalise on Scottie Scheffler’s absence from The Sentry.
World primary Scheffler has been dominated out of the opening PGA Tour occasion of 2025 in Hawaii after present process surgical procedure to restore a hand wound sustained whereas cooking Christmas dinner.
His absence sees Schauffele, the winner of final yr’s PGA Championship and Open Championship, put in as the brand new favorite for the event in Maui that begins on Thursday.
SWING CHANGES
However the 31-year-old from San Diego insists he’s nonetheless attending to grips with the modifications made to his swing overseen by famend coach Chris Como throughout a break from the sport late final yr.
“All the pieces I used to be engaged on with Chris nonetheless seems like my swing, nevertheless it’s nonetheless one thing that’s a little bit bit uncomfortable,” Schauffele mentioned.
“So long as I’m producing good photographs I really feel the arrogance to maintain transferring in the suitable course, and clearly I acquired loads of confidence after some outcomes final yr.
“There are specific instances if you’re making an attempt to push your swing to a sure place otherwise you stack two or three good weeks in a row and you’re feeling actually good.
“I’d say that final yr that was Quail Hole. And going into Valhalla I felt actually good.
“The Open Championship is a special beast – you’re simply making an attempt to maintain the ball in play, preserve it low, go away it on the suitable aspect of the opening with the wind.
“So two fully totally different types of golf that cater to various things out of your sport. I’m excited to maintain working with Chris and see how effectively we will put the complete swing collectively.
“Hopefully every little thing feels regular before later. Similar to anything, if you take a while off – I took just a few weeks off enjoying golf – previous habits die exhausting and I begin to shift again into previous swing patterns.”
RORY MISSING
With world quantity three Rory McIlroy additionally absent from The Sentry – the Northern Irishman is the one participant of the 60 who certified for the occasion to not seem – the percentages are additional stacked in Schauffele’s favour.
Scheffler has a commanding place on the high of the worldwide rankings however Schauffele hopes to overhaul him sooner or later.
“I’m cruising round proper the place I wish to be. It’s a wild time,” he mentioned.
“Profitable two majors and being additional away, or nearer to the Thirtieth-ranked participant than the primary based mostly on the low season numbers…hat’s off to Scottie – he’s a beast.
“He simply stored profitable. Even in his down time he received one other occasion, which pushed him even additional away. So it’s one in every of my targets that may simply have to remain on the calendar for just a few extra years.
“If I get there I’ll be very blissful nevertheless it’s going to take a while and a few endurance.”
