In an unconventional move, Scottie Scheffler opted for rest and recovery over his usual rigorous preparation ahead of the RBC Heritage, following his hard-earned victory at the Masters.
However, a shanked bunker shot on the third hole during Thursday’s round served as a wake-up call for Scheffler, sharpening his focus and determination.
Despite a slow start, Scheffler managed to salvage a 2-under 69 at Harbour Town, extending his remarkable streak of 37 consecutive rounds of par or better on the Tour, dating back to the final round of the 2023 Tour Championship.
The rare mishap of a shank in competition resulted in a double-bogey 6 for Scheffler, leaving him 1 over par through six holes on a day when J.T. Poston surged ahead with an 8-under opener.
Reflecting on his performance, Scheffler admitted to feeling somewhat underprepared as he struggled to adjust to the slower speed of the greens and lacked his usual mental engagement.
“I think I was maybe too settled down to start the day,” Scheffler confessed. “I wasn’t quite into the competition. I think maybe it was a bit of fatigue, whatever it was. But I felt like I was still getting adjusted to the golf course.”
Despite the initial setback, Scheffler demonstrated resilience, rallying with three birdies on the back nine to finish with another sub-par score.
“I feel like I had more energy now than I did at the beginning of the day waking up to go play golf,” Scheffler remarked. “It’s nice to be back into tournament mode.”
Looking ahead to Round 2, Scheffler intended to spend additional time on the practice putting green before unwinding for the rest of the afternoon. His next round is set to commence alongside Jordan Spieth at 1:30 p.m. ET on Friday.
Scheffler’s unorthodox approach to tournament preparation, prioritizing rest and minimal practice, proved effective as he navigated through challenges and maintained his competitive edge on the course.