Senior manager debunks Scottie Scheffler myth: "I do thank Rory for the comment"

Scottie Scheffler was not inspired to change his putter after Rory McIlroy implored the American to change to a mallet during a tough stretch on the greens, according to a senior manager at TaylorMade. 

Cast your mind back to February 2024 and Scheffler appeared completely lost with the flatstick. 

The rest of his game was in good shape but such were his frustrations on the greens he was spotted tossing his golf ball into the trees during the Genesis Invitational after missing six makeable birdie attempts in 10 holes at Riviera Country Club. 

McIlroy joined the broadcast that weekend and suggested Scheffler should consider switching to a mallet-style putter to improve his performance. 

But the Northern Irishman joked that perhaps Scheffler should've continued with a blade as it was giving everyone else a chance.

Scheffler immediately put a TaylorMade Spider mallet putter into his bag for the Arnold Palmer Invitational and won by five strokes. His putting performance improve significantly. 

Since then, Scheffler has won 13 more titles, including his third and fourth major championships and is the runaway World No.1 doing things in the men's game we have not witnessed since Tiger Woods' pomp.  

According to Adrian Rietveld, a senior manager at the leading the OEM, Scheffler had started thinking about making the switch before McIlroy aired his feelings in public. 

He told the ForePlay podcast: "It started way before Rory made that comment. It was really a project. I do thank Rory for the comment though. Even if it contributed one percent, it was needed. Because Scottie, he's a tough switch. 

"He knows what he wants. I'll take you back to day one of that project. Day one, we visited him at Dallas National, it wasn't at Royal Oaks where he normally practices. It was at Dallas National, I think because they had a really big practice putting green there. 

"And I do remember the conversation. We sat around the table. There were four of us which included his coach and his manager. And basically, what Scottie said to us, he said stop copying the spec of my putter. He was playing a competitor putter at the time. 

"He said stop copying this spec, this isn't my spec. I've never been fitted for a putter. 

"So for him, he says if we're going to do this, it's going to be a blank slate. You're going to fit me for a putter like you would – and this is the number one player in the world. I'll never forget that day."

Reitvald continued: "Now we're looking at head designs, we're looking at weight, you think about all the parameters and all the components that go into a putter. It's 10x any other piece of equipment, in terms of customisation and what works specifically for that player. 

"Then Phil Kenyon comes on board and Phil's a complete independent at the time. When I say independent, his interest is Scottie Scheffler. He's going to use what's going to make Phil look and help Phil make Scottie look good. 

"I sent him 15 putters at a time in so many different specs. At one point, we're working on just the length of the putter and it was like, 'yeah, but the length changes the swing weight, it changes the feel'. 

"And we're just literally going down this rabbit hole to a miracle ending where he actually puts in play a putter that we sell off the shelf. Literally, a putter that you can walk into a shop and literally go, 'I'm having Scottie Scheffler's putter here'. 

"Imagine that as a company guy."