In the world of golf, sometimes a subtle nudge sparks a major comeback. Just ask Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas.
Following his victory at the RBC Heritage, where his sharpened putting game propelled him into the winner's circle, Thomas was quick to express gratitude to Schauffele. The turnabout saw Thomas leaping from a 174th ranking in strokes gained putting last season to an impressive third place finish this week.
However, Schauffele, ever the humble colleague, was reluctant to take credit. “I don’t think I really have anything to do with him winning,” Schauffele commented in a recent conference call previewing the upcoming PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. “He maybe gave me too much credit.”
Thomas’s striking improvement was born from insightful conversations shared with Schauffele towards the end of last year. In Thomas's words, “I think he’s one of the best putters in fundamentals – not just putting but everything.” This dialogue inspired Thomas to refine his approach, recalling techniques that once accentuated his stellar putting in 2017-18. “I had no home base,” Thomas reminisced, realizing he'd drifted from the routines that once grounded his game.
As for Schauffele's take, he offers a more tempered version of their interactions. According to him, the dialogues were a mutual exercise, a process of asking and answering that served to remind Thomas of his proven strategies. “More than anything, he was searching and maybe trying too hard,” Schauffele reflected. “Felt like all the answers were right in front of him.”
The modesty of Schauffele notwithstanding, the impact was evident. Indeed, Thomas's restoration to form is a testament to how collaborative spirit and introspection can reignite prior brilliance in the world of golf.
