At Players Championship, 2 world-beaters searching for answers

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — On opposite ends of the TPC Sawgrass property Saturday, the two golfers who defined 2024 found themselves in a similar place at the Players Championship. 

Searching for answers. 

As the winds whipped and the afternoon roars reverberated through the Stadium Course, world No. 3 Xander Schauffele posted up at the far end of the driving range and sent ball after ball into the Florida air with coach Chris Como looking on. 

This was two hours after Schauffele had posted a five-over 77. A day made long by the brutal conditions was only getting longer. 

Schauffele bounced between clubs, turning to Como after each swing to discuss the rotation issues plaguing him. 

“That wasn’t it,” Schauffele said, shaking his head after launching one with driver. 

“No, didn’t mean to do that,” he said after the next swing. 

Como grabbed Schauffele’s shoulders to put him on the proper path as he started his downswing.

Schauffele blistered another ball and let out a sigh. He walked back to Como, who showed him a video of the last swing. Schauffele raised his eyebrows and laughed. 

“I’m hitting it well, but that’s not right.”

As Schauffele worked to rediscover the swing feel that led to two major wins in 2024, Scottie Scheffler’s run at a Players three-peat was beginning to run aground. 

“How does that happen?” Scheffler remarked after his shot from the right rough on the par-5 16th came up 44 yards short of the green. 

Scheffler, like many of the PGA Tour’s stars, has been running a little hot this week.

Playing this tournament…on this course…in these conditions…is weighing on them. 

After his par putt at 16 went begging, Scheffler tapped in for a bogey and mouthed “wow” as he turned toward caddie Ted Scott. 

Ten minutes later, Scheffler missed a 7-foot par putt at the par-3 17th, and the frustration came out. He deposited the ball into the pond, forcefully shoved his putter in his bag and marched off to the 18th tee by himself while his playing partner finished. 

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“Are you kidding me?” Scheffler mumbled to himself as he walked toward 18. “How?” 

Scheffler stood on the 18th tee by himself and stared out into the distance. He was now at five under for the tournament and seven off the lead. As Scott made his way to the final hole, Scheffler was still shaking his head in disbelief. 

While Scheffler puttered and billowed on the back nine, Schauffele’s quest to find himself continued with his team on an otherwise empty range. 

“That’s terrible,” Schauffele said as he hit a squirrelly driver that had his top hand come off the club. 

The next swing was better. 

“I mean, that’s the shot shape. It’s closer, right?” 

Then another one-handed finish. 

“Nope.”

In golf, like life, the search for answers often leads to more questions. 

This week, at this most demanding of tournaments, it seems unlikely that two of the world’s best players can or will find what they need.