Scheffler denies McIlroy claims amid upsurge in form after rival’s comments

World no.1 Scottie Scheffler has rejected rumours that his putting success in 2024 is down to Rory McIlroy’s advice.

The 28-year-old has enjoyed a fantastic season – winning the Masters and the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Games.

His stunning season ended with him scooping the Tour Championship earlier this month – banking a cool £19million.

It has brought his 2024 earnings to a staggering £41.2m having triumphed in seven PGA Tour events.

Scheffler has seamlessly transitioned from using a Scotty Cameron Timeless Tourtype GSS putter – which he won six PGA Tour titles with last year – to a TaylorMade Spider Tour X putter.

It came after McIlroy suggested that the New Jersey native try his luck with a mallet-style putter at the Genesis Invitational in February.

With the Spider in his bag at Bay Hill, Scheffler won by five strokes at the Genesis Invitational.

Following his victory, McIlroy joked: “I’m not going to give him any more advice, that’s for sure!”

McIlroy’s advice has led many to believe that Scheffler was influenced to change putters by the Northern Irishman – something the American has strongly denied.

During an appearance on the Pardon My Take podcast, Scheffler was asked: “The story goes that Rory said you should look at a different putter and the next thing you know is you’re using a different putter, and Rory just shot himself in the foot because now you can putt.

“I don’t know if that’s something you heard from Rory or something you had planned for a while?”

To which Scheffler said: “No, it’s something that I’d thought about, but don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story, right?

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“My putting coach and I thought about it. At the beginning of the year I’d improved a little bit.

“But I still wasn’t where I thought I could be. I thought I could get better.

“It was nice for me to get out of my own head, look at something different.

“I used to line up the ball where I wanted to hit it when I was putting and it would kinda get in my head a little bit.”

McIlroy had attempted to play down his own advice in March, as he remarked: “It’s very hard to talk about other players.

“Scottie has had enough criticism about his putting – you guys talk about it enough.

“It was me, basically, trying to talk about myself more than talk about Scottie.”

While Scheffler enjoyed a fantastic 2024, McIlroy’s wait for a first Major since 2014 continues.

Though he did won one title on the PGA Tour as well as on the European Tour.