Scottie Scheffler’s Pursuit of Third Major Title at U.S. Open in Pinehurst
Witness Scottie Scheffler’s remarkable hot streak as he competes for his third major title at the U.S. Open in Pinehurst. Learn how his unconventional coaching style has shaped his fluid and technically sound game.
Scottie Scheffler Seeks Third Major Title at U.S. Open in Pinehurst
Pinehurst, North Carolina – June 15, 2024
As the U.S. Open tees off this week at Pinehurst Resort, the golf world has its eyes firmly fixed on one man – Scottie Scheffler. The 27-year-old phenom is riding a remarkable hot streak, having won five of his last eight events on the PGA Tour.
Scheffler’s meteoric rise can be largely attributed to the guidance of his longtime coach and mentor, Randy Smith. The 72-year-old golf pro first met a young Scheffler over 20 years ago at Royal Oaks Country Club in Dallas, and immediately recognized the player’s rare talent.
“He had not seen anything like him since a boy named Justin Leonard showed up on the driving range nearly 25 years earlier,” the article notes. “Scheffler was somehow better.”
Smith’s unorthodox coaching approach has been the perfect fit for Scheffler’s natural instincts. Rather than impose rigid swing mechanics, Smith encourages his students to “create” their own unique movements based on feel and situational awareness.
“The head’s gotta move, man,” Smith emphasizes. “That’d be like telling a basketball player to keep his eye on the ball during a free throw.”
This philosophy has allowed Scheffler to develop a game that is both technically sound and effortlessly fluid. As the American seeks his third career major title and first U.S. Open championship this week, Smith will be by his side, keeping everything simple and straightforward.
“Ninety-nine-point-nine percent is here,” Smith says, pointing to his left. “Where to hit it low. Where to hit it high. That’s uphill. That’s downhill. Where is the false front? Where’s the best way to access this pin, that pin?”
With Scheffler in top form and Smith’s guiding presence, a victory at Pinehurst feels almost inevitable. The young star is firmly established as the “gold standard” of the current PGA generation, leaving his peers to wonder, “How do we get to that level?”
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