Scottie Scheffler began collaborating with Phil Kenyon towards the conclusion of last year’s Tour Championship, resulting in visible enhancements to his putting.
Scottie Scheffler’s game has shown a vulnerability in his putting skills, as he currently ranks 96th on the PGA Tour for SG/putting this year. However, if he manages to improve on his performance and gain strokes while playing exceptionally well throughout the course of a tournament, winning is highly probable due to his unmatched prowess with ball striking.
Ranked at 96th on tour, Scottie Scheffler’s progress may not seem noteworthy at first glance. However, the golfer has made a significant advance compared to his ranking of 162nd in SG/putting just last year. On Sunday, after expressing gratitude towards Phil Kenyon – an esteemed putting coach with high-profile clients like Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood – who started working with him post-Tour Championship last season, it came as no surprise that Scheffler was filled with emotion.
During the green-jacket ceremony on Augusta National’s practice putting green, Kenyon stood amongst Scheffler’s team with a smile. It is likely that he had thoughts of how to deliver swift comebacks to harsh online critics who were relentless in their attacks.
On Wednesday, Kenyon extracted his revenge by tweeting a wave emoji to greet a certain hater.
During his media briefing on Sunday following his triumph, Scheffler was queried about Kenyon’s impact.
During the ride home on the plane after last year’s East Lake golf tournament, I had a conversation with my agent Blake Smith. As we exchanged glances, it became clear that we shared the same idea. Ultimately, I expressed my desire to enlist a putting coach for further improvement in this area of my game.
“Blake suggests, ‘It seems like a good plan. We should have a conversation with Randy Smith, who is both my father and Scheffler’s coach.’
Having previously observed [Phil Kenyon] and his coaching methods, I have gained an eye for these sorts of things after spending a considerable amount of time on the green. With this in mind, Phil’s approach to assisting his players was truly commendable! For instance, viewing how Fitzy would prepare himself before putts by aligning them with swings from his unique club; or watching Keegan Bradley play cross-handed without any reference line on the ball – both were quite impressive displays indeed.
Observing Phil, I sensed his open-mindedness – a trait that gravitates me towards working with individuals. Soon after, we were charging ahead during autumn. Randy’s unassuming nature and willingness to observe our collaboration along with Phil’s expertise was truly commendable in my opinion.
Phil is a humble person who prioritizes his players’ welfare over self-aggrandizement. I feel incredibly grateful to have them both on my team.
Expressing this sentiment is difficult, but I’ll try. Randy had instructed me in every facet of the game for almost 20 years; his tutelage was comprehensive. With that level of investment and dedication, it could have been a blow to his pride if I were to bring someone else on board; conceivably he might not have welcomed it warmly or supported my decision. Nevertheless, when presented with the opportunity Randy graciously said,”Yes, now’s as good a time as any.”