Xander Schauffele tees off throughout a apply spherical forward of the 2025 Sentry on the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Maui.
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The New 12 months is a time for reflection. Particularly for professional golfers, who kick off their 2025 at this week’s season-opening Sentry at Kapalua in Maui.
Actually, Xander Schauffele, the top-ranked man within the discipline, mirrored on his 2024 statistics when he met with the media on Tuesday.
“My wedge play sucked,” he mentioned. “It was actually unhealthy. Actually, actually unhealthy. Golf is hard.”
These have been Schauffele’s phrases — not ours — however we are going to add context. Schauffele ranked sixth in SG: Strategy the Inexperienced (.678) final season, however a deeper dive reiterates his level. From 200 yards out he ranked fifth in SG: Strategy, however as he acquired nearer to the outlet his rating began to creep the alternative method. He ranked between forty fifth and seventieth within the three classes from 125 to 200 yards, however from 50 to 125 yards — prime wedge territory — he was 171st, averaging 21 ft, 5 inches from the outlet.
Extra particularly, he was 168th from 100-125 yards, one hundredth from 75-100 yards and one hundred and fifty fifth from 50-75 yards.
“With my membership pitched a little bit bit extra vertical in my again swing it’s not catering to the very best — it’s nice for driver, nice for lengthy irons, the stats present that — then, with wedges it’s, you already know, the membership’s transferring round a little bit bit, it’s not superb for hitting like a distance wedge,” he mentioned. “It’s one thing I’m attempting to work on, nonetheless engaged on it now, nonetheless attempting to determine it out, get the fitting really feel for it.
“When my shoulders have been lots flatter, the membership was far more laid off and shut, and I used to be extra rotational,” he continued. “I used to be a extremely, actually good wedge participant, actually good inside 150. After which the membership is transferring a distinct method, up extra even throughout, and now unexpectedly I can, you already know, smoke my driver and a 4-iron, however unexpectedly, like a 90-yard wedge is a little bit bit, at occasions. So simply attempting to determine that out.”
To be honest, Schauffele’s OK with the tradeoff. He ranked tenth in SG: Off the Tee and was 2nd in SG: Complete (to not point out twelfth in SG: Placing). That components helped him to fifteen high 10s and his first two main titles.
“It appeared to work for me advantageous final 12 months, so I’m working via it,” Schauffele mentioned. “If I can discover one thing within the center I’ll, however possibly I simply have to apply my wedges much more.”
Because the No. 2 participant on the earth, he’s solely chasing Scottie Scheffler, who needed to withdraw from this week’s match because of harm. Scheffler’s ball-striking prowess has been well-documented. Final season he ranked 1st in SG: Complete, 2nd off the tee and 1st in method (and 77th placing).
From 50 to 125 yards — the place Schauffele ranked 171st — Scheffler was 1st, with a mean distance of 13 ft, 9 inches, greater than seven ft higher than Schuaffele.
“That might be one space [to inch closer to Scheffler],” Schauffele mentioned. “Across the greens, brief sport, that’s an space that’s not unhealthy, it’s nothing particular that I do, simply ok. These are some spots the place I may enhance, for certain.”
As for catching Scheffler, that received’t be straightforward. The hole between Scheffler and Schauffele within the World Rating is about the identical because the hole between Schauffele and No. 22 Aaron Rai.
“We’re all fairly aggressive. All of us wish to beat one another fairly badly. He’s simply such a pleasant man, and I actually can’t say something unhealthy about him, actually, particularly after what occurred to him final 12 months,” Schauffele mentioned. “I believe the true colours present while you’re going through a nasty spot, like when he acquired arrested. So he’s a ten out of 10 man in my view, so I acquired to try to hate him by some means. So if I put him on the very high of the mountain, and he’s somebody that I have to catch, then possibly that’s how I’ve to place it in my head.”
