Xander Schauffele tees off throughout a apply spherical forward of the 2025 Sentry on the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Maui.
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The New Yr is a time for reflection. Particularly for professional golfers, who kick off their 2025 at this week’s season-opening Sentry at Kapalua in Maui.
In reality, Xander Schauffele, the top-ranked man within the area, mirrored on his 2024 statistics when he met with the media on Tuesday.
“My wedge play sucked,” he stated. “It was actually dangerous. Actually, actually dangerous. Golf is hard.”
These have been Schauffele’s phrases — not ours — however we’ll add context. Schauffele ranked sixth in SG: Strategy the Inexperienced (.678) final season, however a deeper dive reiterates his level. From 200 yards out he ranked fifth in SG: Strategy, however as he obtained nearer to the opening his rating began to creep the alternative method. He ranked between forty fifth and seventieth within the three classes from 125 to 200 yards, however from 50 to 125 yards — prime wedge territory — he was 171st, averaging 21 toes, 5 inches from the opening.
Extra particularly, he was 168th from 100-125 yards, one centesimal from 75-100 yards and one hundred and fifty fifth from 50-75 yards.
“With my membership pitched slightly bit extra vertical in my again swing it’s not catering to the most effective — it’s nice for driver, nice for lengthy irons, the stats present that — then, with wedges it’s, , the membership’s shifting round slightly bit, it’s not ideally suited for hitting like a distance wedge,” he stated. “It’s one thing I’m making an attempt to work on, nonetheless engaged on it now, nonetheless making an attempt to determine it out, get the appropriate really feel for it.
“When my shoulders have been rather a lot flatter, the membership was far more laid off and shut, and I used to be extra rotational,” he continued. “I used to be a very, actually good wedge participant, actually good inside 150. After which the membership is shifting a special method, up extra even throughout, and now unexpectedly I can, , smoke my driver and a 4-iron, however unexpectedly, like a 90-yard wedge is slightly bit, at instances. So simply making an attempt to determine that out.”
To be truthful, Schauffele’s OK with the tradeoff. He ranked tenth in SG: Off the Tee and was 2nd in SG: Complete (to not point out twelfth in SG: Placing). That components helped him to fifteen prime 10s and his first two main titles.
“It appeared to work for me wonderful final yr, so I’m working by it,” Schauffele stated. “If I can discover one thing within the center I’ll, however perhaps I simply have to apply my wedges much more.”
Because the No. 2 participant on the planet, he’s solely chasing Scottie Scheffler, who needed to withdraw from this week’s match resulting from harm. Scheffler’s ball-striking prowess has been well-documented. Final season he ranked 1st in SG: Complete, 2nd off the tee and 1st in method (and 77th placing).
From 50 to 125 yards — the place Schauffele ranked 171st — Scheffler was 1st, with a median distance of 13 toes, 9 inches, greater than seven toes higher than Schuaffele.
“That may be one space [to inch closer to Scheffler],” Schauffele stated. “Across the greens, quick recreation, that’s an space that’s not dangerous, it’s nothing particular that I do, simply adequate. These are some spots the place I might enhance, for positive.”
As for catching Scheffler, that gained’t be straightforward. The hole between Scheffler and Schauffele within the World Rating is about the identical because the hole between Schauffele and No. 22 Aaron Rai.
“We’re all fairly aggressive. All of us need to beat one another fairly badly. He’s simply such a pleasant man, and I actually can’t say something dangerous about him, truthfully, particularly after what occurred to him final yr,” Schauffele stated. “I feel the true colours present while you’re dealing with a nasty spot, like when he obtained arrested. So he’s a ten out of 10 man in my view, so I obtained to attempt to hate him in some way. So if I put him on the very prime of the mountain, and he’s somebody that I have to catch, then perhaps that’s how I’ve to place it in my head.”
