Scheffler hails influence of his putting guru Kenyon

Scottie Scheffler has hailed the influence of English putting guru Phil Kenyon after claiming his second Masters title in three years.

Scheffler compiled one of the best ball-striking seasons ever seen in 2023, his adjusted scoring average of 68.63 being the seventh-lowest in PGA Tour history and the best by anyone not named Tiger Woods. In total, Scheffler was ranked first in nine different categories, including greens in regulation and strokes gained off the tee, but was ranked 162nd out of 193 players in putting.

That prompted the world No 1 to turn to Kenyon for help and the move has paid massive dividends, with Scheffler winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Players Championship in successive weeks and finishing second in his next start before travelling to Augusta.

“After East Lake last year, ride home on the plane, sitting there talking to Blake (Smith, his agent) and we kind of look at each other, and I think we both were thinking the same thing,” the 27-yearold American explained following his nerveless four-shot Masters win over Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg.

“And we both looked at each other, and I was like, ‘You know, I want to see a putting coach’. Blake goes, ‘I think that’s a good idea’. I had watched Phil before and watched him coach players. I loved the way Phil coached his players.

“You look at a guy like Fitzy (Matt Fitzpatrick) who uses a putter that has a lot of swing to it, and you look at a guy like Keegan Bradley, doesn’t use a line on the ball, uses a big giant putter cross-handed, and he putts good.

“As I watched Phil, I could tell he was open-minded, and that’s the type of people I like to work with.”