Scottie Scheffler seeks to rebound with increased commitment while eyeing third Players Championship trophy
Scheffler has not been his best early in 2026, but he believes further dedication can get him where he wants to be
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Early Wednesday morning at the 2026 Players Championship, as the sun started to poke through the clouds, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler stood on the driving range, taking part in his normal routine. Advice came from caddie Ted Scott and longtime swing coach Randy Smith as clubs got cleaned and balls got launched.
While bystanders took in each shot, Scheffler took in each checkpoint. He gripped the club with his left hand, examined his hand position and raised the club in front of him. The right hand soon met the grip before he regripped again to confirm the correct placement on the club.
His alignment was examined and reexamined as feet shuffled towards the intended target. Finally, his ball position was secured in the middle of his stance as he was wielding just a wedge early in his process. This was done for each and every club he struck.
For all the discussion of the world No. 1's superpowers, and there are plenty of them -- course management, the ability to separate personal and professional life, his competitiveness, pick any statistic under the sun -- one not observed by fans is his work ethic.
Scheffler is as committed as they come, and in an ironic twist, it is commitment that he seeks in return.
"When it comes to my golf game and my expectations of myself, my expectations all are based around what I want for me mentally on the golf course as being committed to what I can do, and controlling that aspect," Scheffler said. "And so far, throughout this season, I've been really good in some spots and then some other spots I feel like I can improve in terms of my commitment to the shot."
Scheffler's season up to this point has not been up to his standards, but that is no reason to panic as expectations rise with stature. Still, there have been some mumblings.
He ran away from the field at the American Express to notch his 20th PGA Tour victory and secure a lifetime membership on the circuit before he turned 30, following with close calls at the WM Phoenix Open and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am before two straight finishes outside the top 10 at Riviera and Bay Hill. His T24 result at the Arnold Palmer Invitational was his worst finish in more than a calendar year.
Scheffler's driver was no help at Arnie's Place as he decided to put a new model in his bag after two years of using another. He was committed to finding a solution early in the week at TPC Sawgrass, testing half a dozen driver heads. He recommitted to the one that helped Scheffler win major championships and tournament after tournament.
That's an easy fix in terms of commitment -- just replacing a new club with an old one that you know will perform -- but when the man with the club in his hands is not performing how he knows he can, that requires persistence. Neither studying technique nor the Trackman numbers is the sole answer; this is a sense that has to be dug out of the dirt.
"I think you work on [commitment] through your practice," Scheffler said. "I think it's pretty easy to sit up there and, like, after you hit a bad shot, I think there's always something you can learn. And I guess it's hard, I mean, it's silly to say it's just a feel thing, but it really is.
"I think there's certain shots, after you hit 'em, where you're going to make bad swings in golf. That will happen, but I want to be able to tell myself that I'm fully committed to what I was trying to do, and maybe there's some little things I could do either in my preshot routine or in my visualization that will help me to become more committed. I think that's something you're always assessing, either after the shot or at the end of each day."
After his warmup, Scheffler sauntered off the driving range and continued on his way: short-game work, putting drills and off to the golf course in preparation for Thursday's first tee shot. He came back in the afternoon and practiced some more.
As all eyes were on Rory McIlroy as he zoomed in a golf cart to the back of the range at TPC Sawgrass with a PGA Tour official, Scheffler's work day came to an end with a barrage of autograph requests from youngsters crowding the ropes.
Whether he found what he's been seeking will be answered with his play this week, but there is no questioning Scheffler's commitment, even if he may be asking those questions.
