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 pictures 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 fantastically and holing 4 birdie putts from 15 toes or longer for his 64.
He led by two pictures 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.
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The large shock was Scheffler, the No. 1 participant in golf who appeared 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 instances has saved him from profitable extra or profitable greater. 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, along with his left index finger pointed down the shaft.
“I am all the time in search of methods to enhance,” Scheffler stated.
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 completely different than what I’ve executed up to now,” Scheffler stated. “This 12 months I had considered it every now and then, and it was one thing that we had simply stated let’s desk that for the tip of the season, check out it.
“Figured it is a good week to attempt 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 avoid wasting par.
His longest putt was his final gap, from 12 toes for a closing birdie.
“I actually loved the best way it felt,” he stated. “I felt like I am seeing some enhancements in my stroke.”
Younger, thought to be one of the best lively 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 bought again to the fundamentals in his highly effective golf swing.
And on this present day, he was dialed in along with his quick sport. He solely struggled to avoid wasting par twice and saved piling up birdies in his bogey-free spherical on a really perfect 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 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 towards a 20-man area. He has utilizing a 46-inch driver at residence — a bit of greater than an inch longer than his common driver — in a bid to achieve 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 bit of bit longer, I simply sort of need to get the membership out in entrance of me and get on high of it a bit of bit extra,” Thomas stated. “I drove the hell out of it on the again, in order that was good to attempt one thing completely different and have it go a bit of bit higher on the again.”
Thomas stated the longer driver offers him 2 or 3 mph in ball pace and 10 additional yards within the air.
“It’s totally particular for programs, however gave it a attempt,” he stated.
Situations have been straightforward sufficient that solely 4 gamers in area failed to interrupt par, with Jason Day mentioning the rear with a 75.
