PGA Tour rival opens on copying Scottie Scheffler-style approach amid challenging conditions

Ryan Gerard’s career took a big turn thanks to a single shot he didn’t even hit back then. It happened at the 2025 Houston Open, and the following weekend in Texas, he earned his first runner-up finish on the PGA Tour.

A few months later, he won his maiden Tour title. Scottie Scheffler then applied what he learned in early 2026 to overcome tough courses.“A lot of guys, when they take speed off a golf club, the ball flight comes down,” Gerard told Golf Channel. “Scottie hits this shot with this smooth knockdown swing, but he launches it higher, spins it more, and it bridges the gap between two full numbers. I’ve been obsessed with this shot since I played with him in the final round of Houston last year, and I’ve gone about learning how to hit it.”

Ryan Gerard tries to copy Scottie Scheffler’s high-launch knockdown shot

Analysts, along with fellow professionals, have characterized #1 Scottie Scheffler's approach play as “near-surgical,” highlighting his ability to hit greens from 150–200 yards consistently. In terms of Strokes Gained: Total, at the moment, he leads the PGA Tour. However, it was impressive how Gerard’s performance altered overnight.

Before the 2025 Houston Open, his best result was a tie for fifteenth at the Farmers Open.

Then everything changed after he watched Scheffler dominate the final round in Texas and finish second. Ryan Gerard copied Scheffler’s high-launch knockdown shot and soon earned a ninth-place finish with a 14-under score, his best at the time. Since then, Ryan has only improved.At the Valero Texas Open, one week later, he placed second, and then in the 2025 Barracuda Championship, Gerard concluded with 47 points under the tournament’s unique Modified Stableford scoring system.

The most exciting part was his final round performance, since he made two significant eagles on the 3rd and 11th holes.In 2026, he opened the season strong with back-to-back second-place finishes at the Sony Open and the American Express. His performance at PGA West and La Quinta Country Club was especially encouraging since Gerard had channeled his inner Scottie to excel on the firm, baked-out greens in dome-like conditions.He almost defeated Scottie Scheffler at the American Express by applying his ‘Scheffler-inspired’ techniques. Gerard shot an impressive 64 on Saturday to keep the pressure on. However, in the end, he finished four shots behind, taking second place while #1 earned his 20th PGA Tour win with a 27-under total.