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AUGUSTA, Ga. – As the defending Masters champion, Jon Rahm selected the menu for Tuesday night’s Champions Dinner. At a time when golf doesn’t whet your appetite, he served an entrée of ribeye and turbot.
The NFL has become the most popular sport in North American history by turning a four-month regular season sport into an immersive 12-month period for fans. Golf these days too often offers more than tapas, another of Rahm’s favorites.
Things will change starting Thursday, as most of the world’s best golfers will play in the first round of the 2024 Masters. Even ignoring the split between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, golf has not had a major championship held in the United States since mid-June 2023.
The PGA Championship was moved from August to May, condensing the major golf schedule. Add to this the fact that the defection of players to his LIV has weakened the fields at most of his PGA Tour events outside of the majors, and it’s misleading to say that golf offers tapas. maybe. For most of the year, golf fans are eating crumbs.
That’s why this year’s Masters feels even more important than previous years. Of the 13 LIV players in the field, seven are former Masters champions. This week’s conversation revolves around golf, America’s most famous golf course, and perhaps the world’s best player, as the rivalry between LIV and the PGA Tour fades due to ongoing negotiations between LIV and the PGA Tour. It should be everything.
No one can become a top-ranked player in the world without being a great ball striker, but Scottie Scheffler is unique among players who have reached the top of the profession.
Perhaps no player since Ben Hogan has been this great from tee to green and so unstable with the putter in his hands.
Scheffler leads the PGA Tour in average score, average number of birdies, shots gained over the field, shots gained on approach shots and greens allowed. You can hit the ball long and high and softly on fast greens or long irons. He is an excellent chipper, pitcher and bunker player.
Ranked 97th in shot gained putts.
Scheffler has won two of the past three tournaments. His lowest finish in eight tournaments this year was a tie for 17th place. He has seven top-10 finishes.
If he hits the putt well, he wins. If he doesn’t make a good putt, he gets close. The only variable that could affect him this week is that his wife Meredith is thought to be three weeks away from giving birth to the couple’s first child. Scheffler said he would resign if doctors indicated he could deliver the baby this weekend.
Scheffler’s performance on these greens could be decisive. It will be interesting to see how he gets to the green.
Modern golf allows players to use computers to study and improve their mechanics. They can seek biomechanical perfection.
Scheffler rose to number one with a swing that no one teaches to kids.
In his typical full swing, his back foot slides towards the target. On some swings, when he’s trying to hit a particularly creative shot, his legs move, making him look like a Minnesotan trying to navigate the ice on a steep driveway.
What appears to be a flaw is indicative of a long, easy swing. Unlike many modern players who try to generate maximum power by thrusting up off the ground and torqueing his torso, Scheffler can pull his feet anywhere with his club swing.
“When I first went on tour, I think my footwork was kind of how people knew me,” he said. “A lot of people might think that my golf swing characteristics aren’t that great. With all that action, it’s hard for me to be consistent and play under pressure. I think some people said it would be hard to turn on my swing. ”
One of the strange things about golf can be a curse for Scheffler. That means the 330-yard drive counts the same as his 3-foot putt.
Next time you need to do a knee knocker, maybe you should try slipping your foot.
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