Rory McIlroy revealed he changed golf balls to help produce a high, soft shot that world number one Scottie Scheffler has already mastered. Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler arrive at the Arnold Palmer Invitational this week as two of the favourites, with both targeting victory at Bay Hill.
Rory McIlroy revealed he changed golf balls to help produce a high, soft shot that world number one Scottie Scheffler has already mastered.
Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler arrive at the Arnold Palmer Invitational this week as two of the favourites, with both targeting victory at Bay Hill.
McIlroy enjoyed an outstanding 2025 season on the PGA Tour, but he still finished behind Scheffler, who remains the world number one. Over the past four years, the Northern Irishman and the American have consistently stood out as the two dominant players in men’s golf.
Yet when it comes to one particular shot — a high-launching, softer strike with extra spin — Scheffler may still hold the edge.
McIlroy changed equipment to produce Scheffler-Style shot
During media duties in Orlando ahead of the tournament, McIlroy was asked whether he had worked on replicating the high, soft shot that Scheffler regularly pulls off.
The four-time major champion admitted that equipment changes played a role in helping him develop that type of shot.
“I definitely think it was one of the reasons I went to a softer, spinnier ball was to be able to hit shots like that,” McIlroy explained.
He pointed out that the shot becomes particularly valuable during tournaments played on firm greens, such as those at Bay Hill, Augusta National or during the U.S. Open.
“Really important weeks like this where the greens are really firm… to be able to hit a ball that comes down soft, but not have to hit it flat out, that’s a skill in and of itself,” he said.
McIlroy also noted that Scheffler’s finish when playing the shot reminds him of Tiger Woods in his prime — a high, relaxed follow-through that produces a towering ball flight and controlled landing.
Scheffler says shot control came from practice and curiosity
Scheffler, who has collected 20 PGA Tour victories since February 2022 — including four major titles — explained that developing a wide variety of shots became a focus during a key period of improvement in his career.
Reflecting on his progress between 2019 and 2022, the American said refining his swing allowed him to experiment more creatively with ball flight and spin.
“I made a really big emphasis on learning, really kind of fine tuning how to hit a lot of different types of shots,” Scheffler said.
He added that practicing shot-making has always been more engaging for him than repeating the same swing mechanics on the range.
“I get bored sitting on the range working on technique and hitting the same shot over and over again. It’s always fun to create and do different things with the golf ball.”
With the firm greens expected at Bay Hill this week, Scheffler believes players will need to rely heavily on high-flying approaches that land softly — precisely the type of shot that has become one of his trademarks on the PGA Tour.
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Category: General Sports
