A powerful drive to the centre of the fairway of just over three hundred metres and a second shot straight to the flag, a killer wedge from about 106 metres that left the ball half a metre from the hole. Birdie.
This is how the world Number One, Scottie Scheffler (-5), returned to competition after two and a half months of absence, on the 1st hole at the Albany Golf Club and in the first round of the Hero World Challenge. Very few of the twenty participants have hit longer on that hole from the tee and, of course, no one has left it even remotely closer (in fact, no one has left it even two metres from the hole).
Apparently, nothing had changed regarding the relentless Scheffler of this year 2024, which is already almost bidding farewell. Neither had his attire: white polo and navy blue trousers, which happens to be his most usual uniform.
Then, let’s be honest, it wasn’t going to be plain sailing for the Texan either, but he finished the day in third position and three shots behind the solo leader, Cameron Young (-8), a player who has already accustomed us to electric starts, but who lacks the finishing touch. It’s incredible, but true: Young still hasn’t won a single PGA Tour tournament. Nor will he this week, no matter how well he does, as this tournament counts for the world ranking, but not for the FedEx Cup and, therefore, is not an official PGA Tour event. Nevertheless, everyone is patiently awaiting this player’s victorious breakthrough, and why not in 2025.
Scheffler has switched to the ‘claw’ grip with the putter, although his numbers have remained more or less at his usual standards. Neither too cold, nor too hot, but quite the opposite, one might say. He hasn’t been the best in this segment and, in fact, of the six birdie putts he holed, the longest was three and a half metres, which he made precisely on the 18th hole, to finish the round. If we add up the conversion metres on the greens, he ranks 19th out of the twenty players present at the event…
He won’t need much more to stay on the leader’s heels as a constant threat, because he also seemed to have good feelings with his new grip. Justin Thomas (-6) also didn’t putt well over the first nine holes, but he responded in the second half of the course to get into the featured group for the second round, alongside Young.
The wind hasn’t blown much in Albany and up to 16 players have beaten the course. Everyone except Wyndham Clark (+1), Matthieu Pavon (+2), Tom Kim (+2), and Jason Day (+3). Once again, Clark’s inconsistency is striking, as he signed a 73 with five birdies on the card. Since stringing together those two second places at the Arnold Palmer and THE PLAYERS, after winning at Pebble Beach, he hasn’t quite found himself again. And it’s been a few months now. This week, in the Bahamas, he won’t be able to regain the winning path either. The leader is already far ahead. And up there is also a certain Scheffler who continues to be Scheffler.
