Scottie Scheffler rates how he was hitting the ball on day three at the Scottish Open after noticing change

Add as preferred source on Google

Scottie Scheffler might be just too far back at the Scottish Open after round three and the world number one has been assessing his game ahead of The Open next week.

Scheffler went round in 68 to sit five back of the leaders, which includes Rory McIlroy, and going into day four, he’ll need his very best golf to make a charge.

The world’s best player has still played well in Scotland in the main and despite some tidying up needed in his game, it’s once again obvious just why he is the best around.

Scheffler will be confident going into The Open at Royal Portrush next week and after battling to another under par round at the Scottish Open, he’s assessed exactly where his game is.

Scottie Scheffler gives verdict on his current golf game after round three of the Scottish Open

While conditions have been sunny in Scotland, there’s still been the classic links winds on display, making it difficult even for the very best in the world.

Indeed, Scheffler was quizzed on those winds and if they ‘messed with his head’.

“I don’t know if messes with my head is the right way to describe it. But I think I felt like I hit a lot of good putts out there and the ball was just dodging the hole today. Sometimes that happens. I made a few coming down the stretch that makes it feel a little bit better,” Scheffler admitted.

“Overall I feel like I was swinging it nice. Sometimes on links you get the bounces and sometimes you don’t. Today definitely felt like one of those days where it was not bouncing where I was hoping it would.”

Asked about his preparation for Royal Portrush and his chances of winning in Scotland, Scheffler conceded he needs a big performance but insists he’s happy with how he’s hitting the golf ball.

“Yeah, I’ll need something pretty special tomorrow. But like you said, not out of it. Today I really do, I felt a lot better about how I played today than I did the last couple days. The last couple days I felt like I was scraping it around a little bit and I would say my swing didn’t feel as sharp.

“It felt a lot sharper today. That was positive. Hitting the ball a lot more solid, so that’s pretty encouraging.”

• READ MORE: Scottie Scheffler has a genuine issue that he must get to the bottom of if he is to win The Open

If anyone can reel in Rory McIlroy it is Scottie Scheffler

Scheffler might be five shots back of the leaders in Scotland but if there is one man in the world of golf right now who is going to eat into that sort of lead, it is Scottie Scheffler.

All it takes is for Scheffler to start hot and make a few birdies by the time McIlroy and Chris Gotterup go out and we could be faced with an entirely different proposition.

Crucially for Scheffler, there is no pressure on him either.

That means he can go out, swing freely, and simply see what happens.

We’ve seen this over the years with Rory McIlroy as well where he’s out of contention before playing with freedom and getting towards the top of the leaderboard.

With a big day to come at the Renaissance Club, don’t put it past Scheffler doing the same.