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Justin Thomas reveals what he thinks is wrong with Scottie Scheffler after watching him at The Players
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Scottie Scheffler has been an absolute shadow of his usual self this week at The Players Championship.

In fact, if the truth be known, Scheffler has been nowhere near the standards he expects of himself for six weeks now.

The 29-year-old world number one has looked completely lost out on the golf course during the first two rounds of The Players Championship.

Justin Thomas played alongside Scheffler during the first two rounds at TPC Sawgrass and he shared his thoughts on the Texan’s struggles.

Scheffler struggled to an opening round of 72 on Thursday at The Players Championship but things got even worse on Friday as he labored to a one-over-par 73.

It was highlighted by Brandel Chamblee that Scheffler’s swing has been unrecognizable at The Players Championship.

He has driven the ball terribly, while his usually pinpoint iron play has been lacklustre to say the least.

So where next for Scheffler? Does he really have a serious technical fault that he needs to iron out of his game?

Or are his struggles right now just a minor blip that he is going through?

Justin Thomas says what is wrong with Scottie Scheffler after watching him at Sawgrass

Scheffler isn’t used to struggling.

The game of golf has come far too easy to him over the past four years, with 20 PGA Tour wins to his name, including four major championships.

The world number one did show a glimpse of his class when he birdied the final hole to make the cut by one stroke.

Meanwhile, Thomas posted his second consecutive round of 68 to head into the weekend bang in contention.


Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

The 32-year-old from Louisville, Kentucky, spoke to reporters after his round and responded when asked what he made of Scheffler’s performance during the first two rounds at TPC Sawgrass.

Yeah, I’ve played this tournament on the cut line the last couple holes, and it’s not fun. It’s unlike any other place we play because it’s over or not in one swing.

If you’re on the cut line and you’re standing on 17, if you hit it in the water, you’re all but done. Then the same kind of goes for 18 on the tee shot. It’s every bit as hard as trying to win a golf tournament.

No, you can just tell. It’s just timing and trying to match it up. He’s still hitting shots that not many people on planet earth can hit in the same rounds. It’s just golf.

He’s been hitting it pretty much where he wants within like a blanket size for what seems like two or three years. He’s still had a pretty good year. I know I’d trade with him, but I’m probably not the person to ask.

Scottie Scheffler’s stats after two rounds at The Players

The challenge for Scheffler now will be to come out on Saturday, post a round in the mid-low 60s and see where that takes him.

He is obviously very low on confidence right now and his swing quite clearly has some technical issues which need to be ironed out.

Scheffler is ranked 93rd in strokes gained off the tee after two rounds at TPC Sawgrass this week.

His iron play has been slightly better than what we’ve seen him produce over the past month, and he ranks 18th in strokes gained approach so far this week.

However, he has been really poor on and around the greens. Scheffler is ranked 87th and 67th in strokes gained around the greens and putting respectively.

He will have to sharpen up in all departments of his game if he is to finish inside the top-25 at Sawgrass this week, let alone contend to win the golf tournament.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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