Scottie Scheffler’s frustration continues amid sluggish start to 2026 PGA Tour season
Scottie Scheffler has cut a frustrated figure on the golf course over his last four PGA Tour events.
He got off to a great start in the 2026 season, winning his first tournament of the year at the American Express in La Quinta, California.
But since then, it hasn’t come together. His form has slipped over the past six or seven weeks.
Scheffler has found himself battling slow starts all season, leaving him with plenty of ground to make up every week.
In fact, he went three straight tournaments without breaking par in his opening rounds until posting a 70 at Bay Hill on Thursday.
Even then, he didn’t look anywhere near his best on day one of the Arnold Palmer Invitational either. The frustrations have been piling up for weeks now.
Scheffler’s frustration boiled over at Bay Hill on Friday after three-putting from nine feet to finish his second round with a bogey. It was yet another moment where nothing seemed to be going right for him this season, especially compared to how well he played in 2025.
The question is whether this is more of a mental challenge or if there’s something technical holding him back that isn’t being addressed yet.
What’s behind Scottie Scheffler’s recent struggles on the PGA Tour?
It’s pretty clear that Scheffler has taken a step back in an area where he once set the standard.
This season, his approach shots haven’t been nearly as sharp as fans have come to expect from him. That drop-off has been noticeable when compared to previous years.
In 2025, Scheffler led the tour in strokes gained approach, picking up 1.291 strokes per round over the field. The story was much the same in both 2024 and the 2022/23 seasons.
This year, though, that edge has faded. Heading into the Arnold Palmer Invitational this week, Scheffler ranked 57th in that metric, gaining just 0.25 strokes per round.
While that number isn’t bad by any stretch, it is a full stroke worse than last season—and that difference shows up quickly over four rounds.
No one should be surprised by how far off his best he’s looked at times in 2026. There’s every reason to believe Scheffler will work through it—he always does—but it’s still a concern for now.
Scheffler’s struggles come down to a surprising dip in iron play
The simple fact is that Scheffler has regressed in the department where he has been so dominant over the past four years.
The man from Dallas, Texas, hasn’t been anywhere near as precise with his approach to play in 2026 as he has been in previous years.
In 2025, he was ranked first on the PGA Tour in strokes gained approach, gaining 1.291 strokes on the field every single round he played.
It was very much the same story in the 2024 and the 2022/2023 seasons. However, Scheffler has regressed in that department in 2026.
Up until the Arnold Palmer Invitational this week, the 20-time PGA Tour winner was ranked 57th in strokes gained approach, having gained just 0.25 strokes on the field in every round he has played.
While that is still decent, it’s more than a full stroke worse every single round compared to last season.
Is it any wonder why he has been so far off the boil in 2026? There is no doubt that Scheffler will get to the bottom of his current problem, but it will be a big worry for him nonetheless.
If Scheffler had hit his irons as crisply and precisely as he did in 2025 at Phoenix and Pebble Beach, he would be a three-time winner already this season. That really does put things into perspective.