PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Early Wednesday morning, 2026 Players ChampionshipAs the sun began to break through the clouds, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler stood on the driving range, going about his usual routine. As he cleaned his clubs and launched the ball, he received some advice from his caddy, Ted Scott, and his longtime swing coach, Randy Smith.
Scheffler photographed each checkpoint while a bystander took each shot. He gripped the club with his left hand, checked his hand position, and raised the club in front of him. His right hand immediately made contact with the grip, and then he gripped it again to confirm correct placement of the club.
His alignment was checked and rechecked as he limped toward his intended target. In the end, he only used a wedge early in the process, which ensured the ball was in the middle of his stance. This was done for every club he hit.
There’s a lot of discussion about the world’s No. 1’s superpowers, including course management, his ability to separate his personal and professional lives, his competitiveness, any statistic you can pick up on, but one thing fans don’t observe is his work ethic.
Scheffler is more committed than ever, and ironically, dedication is what he’s looking for.
“When it comes to my golf game and my expectations for myself, all of my expectations are based on what I want mentally on the golf course: focusing on what I can do and controlling that aspect,” Scheffler said. “And throughout this season, so far, I’ve been very good in some spots, but there are some other spots where I feel like I have room for improvement in terms of tackling my shot.”
Scheffler’s previous seasons haven’t been up to his standards, but there’s no need to panic as expectations are rising as he grows in stature. Still, there were some murmurs.
He ran away from the field at American Express, won his 20th PGA Tour, and earned a lifetime membership to the circuit before he turned 30. He followed that up with close finishes at the WM Phoenix Open and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and finished outside the top 10 at Riviera and Bay Hill for two consecutive tournaments. His T24 performance at the Arnold Palmer Invitational was his worst in more than a year.
Mr. Scheffler’s screwdriver was of no use at Ernie’s Place, as he decided to bag a new model after using a different model for two years. He tested six driver heads on TPC Sawgrass earlier in the week and was focused on finding a solution. He recommitted to the goals that helped Scheffler win every major championship and tournament.
In terms of commitment, this is an easy fix. Simply replace the new club with an old club that you know will perform. But when you pick up a club and you’re not performing as well as you know you’re capable of, it takes persistence. Learning technique or Trackman numbers is not the only answer. This is a feeling that has to be dug out from the ground.
“I think we’re working on (the commitment) through practice,” Scheffler said. “I think it’s very easy to sit there and I think you can always learn something even after you hit a bad shot. And I think it’s hard. I mean, it’s silly to say it’s just a matter of feeling, but it is.
“I think in golf there are some shots where you hit a shot and then have a bad swing. It’s going to happen. But I like to tell myself that I’m fully committed to what I was trying to do. There may be some little things I can do in my pre-shot routine or in my imagery that will help me be more committed. I think that’s something I always evaluate after a shot or at the end of each day.”
After warming up, Scheffler staggered out of the driving range and headed to the golf course, practicing his short game and practicing drills in preparation for Thursday’s first tee shot. He came back in the afternoon and practiced some more.
Scheffler’s work day ended with a barrage of autograph requests from young people crowding the ropes as all eyes were on Rory McIlroy riding a golf cart to the back of the TPC Sawgrass practice range with PGA Tour officials.
Whether he found what he was looking for will be answered by his play this week, but even if Scheffler has those doubts, there is no question about Scheffler’s commitment.
