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 photographs behind Cameron Younger on Thursday.
Younger was taking part in for the primary time because the 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 ft or longer for his 64.
He led by two photographs 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 massive shock was Scheffler, the No. 1 participant in golf who regarded pretty much as good as he has all yr in compiling eight victories, together with an Olympic gold medal. His iron play has no equal. His placing at instances has saved him from successful extra or successful larger. He determined to attempt to a “noticed” placing grip from about 20 ft or nearer — the putter rests between his proper thumb and his fingers, along with his left index finger pointed down the shaft.
“I am at all times searching for methods to enhance,” Scheffler mentioned.
Scheffler final yr started working with famend placing teacher Phil Kenyon, and he says Kenyon talked about the choice placing grip again then.
“But it surely was actually our first time working collectively and it is one thing that is completely different than what I’ve finished prior to now,” Scheffler mentioned. “This yr I had considered it every so often, and it was one thing that we had simply mentioned let’s desk that for the top of the season, check out it.
“Figured this can be a good week to strive stuff.”
He opened with a wedge to 2 ft 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 ft for a closing birdie.
“I actually loved the best way it felt,” he mentioned. “I felt like I am seeing some enhancements in my stroke.”
Younger, thought to be the very best energetic participant and not using a PGA Tour victory, is treating this vacation event as the beginning of a brand new season. He labored on getting stronger and received 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 super day within the Bahamas.
“The wind wasn’t blowing a lot, so it was comparatively stress-free,” Younger mentioned.
Patrick Cantlay, together with Scheffler taking part in for the primary time because the Presidents Cup, additionally was at 67 with Ludvig Åberg, Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala.
Thomas additionally took this event to perform a little experimenting in opposition to a 20-man discipline. He has utilizing a 46-inch driver at dwelling — a bit 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 bit longer, I simply sort of should get the membership out in entrance of me and get on high of it a bit bit extra,” Thomas mentioned. “I drove the hell out of it on the again, in order that was good to strive one thing completely different and have it go a bit bit higher on the again.”
Thomas mentioned the longer driver offers him 2 or 3 mph in ball pace and 10 further yards within the air.
“It’s extremely particular for programs, however gave it a strive,” he mentioned.
Situations have been straightforward sufficient that solely 4 gamers in discipline failed to interrupt par, with Jason Day citing the rear with a 75.
