World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler drew attention at the Players Championship for struggles with his driver after switching back to his previous model. The two-time Masters champion carded an even-par 72 in the opening round at TPC Sawgrass following a T-24 finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Swing Analysis Highlights Issues
Golf analyst Brandel Chamblee expressed surprise at Scheffler’s swing during his review of the round. Scheffler hit only seven fairways, with several tee shots veering right and causing challenges.
“I don’t even recognize this golf swing from Scheffler,” Chamblee said, pointing out the drive was a foot and a half shorter than last year with an open clubface. “This is not a crisis, this is a bump in the road.”
Driver Change and Performance
Scheffler swapped the TaylorMade Qi4D for his familiar Qi10 driver before the round, a model he used successfully in prior seasons. He has not settled on a permanent driver, with equipment tweaks a recent focus after T-12 at The Genesis Invitational.
“I would argue that the only thing I did all that great today was putt,” Scheffler said post-round. “So no, I think sometimes it’s just the… that’s always the last bit when you make bogey. There’s always hope until the putt misses for par.”
Addressing his tee shots, he noted, “Just kept going right. Hit some better ones on the back, but overall, yeah, just got to be a little sharper.”
Plans to Persist with Setup
Despite the fairway misses, Scheffler plans to stick with the Qi10. “I’ve seen some improvements in the new driver; like my spin is much more consistent,” he explained. “It’s actually a touch faster than my driver.”
He added that the previous driver felt prone to drawing left during practice. Scheffler emphasized better management from the rough, including sharp irons on holes 6 and 9, though late bogeys stung.
“I mean, it’s easier hitting it from the fairway than it is from the rough,” he said. “Just got to be a little sharper.”
