Scottie Scheffler Testing Out Major Change To Cure Putting Problems

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has a plan to improve the only area of his game that could possibly need improving - as he's testing out a claw grip at the Hero World Challenge aimed at sharpening up his putting.

From tee to green Scheffler pumped out ridiculously consistent stats last season, topping most categories with numbers only seen previously from Tiger Woods.

The result was an eight-win season including a second Green Jacket at The Masters and an Olympic gold in Paris - and yet it could have been even better but for his troubles on the greens.

As while he was seemingly always challenging week in, week out, he was doing this despite ranking way down in 77th in Strokes Gained: Putting on the PGA Tour in 2024.

He may have won even more if he improved on the greens, and that's exactly what he's trying to do after coming up with the claw grip idea with his putting guru Phil Kenyon.

And Scheffler's using the defence of his Hero World Challenge title in the Bahamas as a testing ground for the claw grip - which he's using mainly just for shorter putts.

“I would say I’m always looking for ways to improve and I felt like this was something that we had looked at last year when Phil [Kenyon] and I first started working together,” Scheffler said after his first round at the Hero World Challenge.

“You know, this year I had thought about it from time to time and it was something that we had just said let’s table that for the end of the season, take a look at it.

"Took a look at it this offseason and figured this is a good week to try stuff just because you can practice and practice and do all the stuff at home, but there’s just something different about being in competition.

"I really enjoyed the way it felt, I felt like I’m seeing some improvements in my stroke.”

Scheffler shot a five-under 67 at Albany in the first round to sit in T3, three shots behind first-round leader Cameron Young.

He made 54 feet of putts and ranked halfway in the limited field of 20 for Strokes Gained: Putting - which is a decent start with a new method.

And after saying it felt good using the claw, Scheffler said that there was no set plan for when he'd use it, but believes it will help him with the shorter range putts going forward.

"Typically the further I am away from the hole I'd say the more likely I am to use the conventional grip because I feel like my speed has always been extremely good, especially from long range," Scheffler added.

"I think I've always been a really, really good lag putter. That's an area where I don't think I would see much improvement with the grip.

"The closer I get to the hole, kind of that inside 15-foot range, I think that's where I'm seeing a lot of the benefits of it."

If Scheffler plays anywhere near as well as he did last season, but adds some real improvements in his putting, then the rest of the PGA Tour could be in real trouble next year.