Scheffler sends ominous message to PGA rivals at | Golf News

Scottie Scheffler returned to type on the third day of The Players, taking pictures a bogey-free five-under-par 67, giving him a glimmer of hope for rivalry on Sunday.

Scheffler barely made the cut after scoring 72-73, sitting at one over through 36 holes at TPC Sawgrass. His driving was notably shaky before the weekend, hitting only 14 of 28 fairways in the first two rounds, but he discovered his rhythm on shifting day.

Despite already securing a victory and two other top-five finishes this season, the quantity of dialogue around Scheffler’s efficiency underscores the high requirements the 29-year-old has set in current years.

In a warning to his rivals, he said he felt a lot more like himself on Saturday. He told reporters: “I was a little sharper today than I was the first two days.”

“I felt like I was swinging it better each day of the tournament. Today hit a few more fairways and was able to give myself a few more looks for birdie.”

The four-time major champion dismissed the thought that his sport had considerably deteriorated. “Did I find anything [in practice after the second round]? I think that would imply that I was lost, which is not the case,” he acknowledged.

“No, I think I’m always just trying to get a feel for where things are at, and sometimes a little practice helps, and sometimes a little rest helps.

“I imply, I’m always just making an attempt to get a really feel for where I believe my swing’s at. Whenever I can really feel the clubhead, I’m in a fairly great place. If you ever see us training, if I’m looking out for one thing, that could be type of what I’m looking out for is the texture for the clubhead, and so that manner I’m type of in a position to see and create pictures.”

Scheffler’s prospects of claiming victory appear slim, as he trails Ludvig Aberg by 10 strokes with the Swede nearing completion of his third round. Cameron Young and Michael Thorbjornsen are tied for second place at 10-under-par.

However, the world’s top-ranked player insists he will gain valuable experience from this week’s competition, irrespective of Sunday’s final result. He explained: “The manner I hit it the first couple days, to type of have the angle that I did and the battle that I did.

“When I look at tournaments, I’m not thinking about winning, I’m thinking about approaching things the right way. I did my best to stay committed and I did a good job I think of keeping the right attitude and keeping my head on straight in order to grind out a couple rounds that were difficult.

“And then I shot a good spherical today as nicely. So general, I believe I’ve been in a great place with how my angle and dedication have been to my pictures. So that’s, for me, a good week.”