Scottie Scheffler details ‘pretty unusual’ approach to Greens at the Genesis Invitational

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Scottie Scheffler managed to claw his way back on Friday at the Genesis Invitational, making the cut right on the number after a rough opening round.

On Thursday, Scheffler played his first 10 holes in five-over-par before darkness ended play early due to rain delays.

This isn’t an unfamiliar pattern for Scheffler, who has struggled out of the gates more than once this season.

It also marked his worst ever first 10 holes on the PGA Tour. His previous high was four-over through 10 at the Byron Nelson as a 17-year-old amateur back in 2014.

Scheffler spoke about his slow start at Riviera, pointing to late tee times both there and at Pebble Beach last week as part of the issue.

Scheffler’s iron play hasn’t been up to his usual standard so far this season. That’s something he’ll need to tighten up if he wants better results going forward.

Scottie Scheffler shares thoughts on approach play during Genesis Invitational

Scheffler carded a five-under-par over 26 holes on Friday. Even though he’s still far from his best, it was a noticeable step up from what we saw in the opening round.

He starts the weekend 12 shots behind the leaders, and it would take something extraordinary for him to break into the top five, let alone contend for the title.

The soft greens at Riviera added another layer of difficulty, and Scheffler was asked about them after his round.

The good news is that conditions appeared to improve as Friday went on. With better weather expected over the weekend, players may find it a bit easier to manage their spin as the course firms up.

Scottie Scheffler’s Genesis stats compared: day one vs day two

Scottie Scheffler isn’t at his best right now, and you can see it just by watching him play. But do the numbers back up what we’re seeing?

Here’s how his stats from the opening two rounds of the Genesis Invitational break down:

Scheffler made noticeable improvements in four out of five key areas on Friday.

If he keeps moving in the right direction over the weekend, there’s still a chance he could work his way into the top 10.

The tournament isn’t out of reach for him yet, but climbing all the way back to contend for a win from where he stands now would take something special.