One of Bob Rotella’s many famous golf psychology books is titled ‘Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect’ Nelly Korda and Scottie Scheffler have come just about as close to perfection as anybody over the last decade or so.
Not even Tiger Woods could reach perfection in his pomp, but golf is about finding a way to get over the line and Korda and Scheffler are streets ahead of the rest in that regard this year.
Scheffler became the first person since Justin Thomas in 2017 to win five times in a single PGA Tour season last week at the Memorial. The frightening part is, we are just over halfway into the 2024 season.
Korda matched the LPGA Tour record of five successive wins earlier in the season and despite missing out on a record half dozen, she bounced back with her sixth win in seven events.
There are several parallels between Korda and Scheffler.
Both are coming off underwhelming seasons for various reasons. Both are comfortably the world number one ranked players in their sport. Both are breaking records almost every week and enjoy virtually unassailable leads at the top of their respective season rankings.
“I think perfect is just impossible,” said Korda of her sensational run. “You’re going to drive yourself mad trying to be perfect, so you just got let it go.
“I just learned that you make more mistakes when you’re trying to be perfect, so I think the way I try to look at it is it’s okay to make mistakes and it’s okay to bounce back.
“But if you’re scared to make mistakes you’re bound to make even more mistakes.”
The American believes her mental game has been the most improved area of her game, allowing her to go on this terrific run of wins.
“I think mentally I’ve just grown the most. Having Jamie in my corner as well. He’s helps me a lot in my game, but he has helped me a lot mentally as well playing in the weather I’ve played in and everything that I’ve kind of gone through this year.
“I think my main growth has been maybe mentally and what I’ve kind of took on.
“I think overall I’m always just trying to improve every aspect of my game. There is some weeks that are better — some parts of my game is better than the others.
“Overall if my ball striking isn’t that good that week, I’ve had a good week on the putting green, too where I’ve made more putts than maybe I would when I’ve hit it really close.
“So feel like this year my game has been pretty balanced when I’ve played and gone into events. Overall when I’m looking at my game, I’m trying to improve everything overall.”
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