A German powerhouse in the major race – what an incredible performance Matti Schmid delivered for us at the PGA Championship! The 28-year-old from Germany secured a phenomenal tied fourth place on the grandest stage. After four days of intense play, he posted a score of -5. At times, Schmid even contended at the very top and was a co-leader. This performance not only caused a stir but also underscores his development as a professional since 2021.
Schmid's Secret Weapon: Putting
Anyone wondering how Matti Schmid could break into the top 5 on a major stage only needs to look at the putting statistics. His putting game was the absolute secret weapon and by far his greatest strength. Throughout the entire tournament, he accumulated an impressive +1.93 strokes gained per round solely on the greens. That's a statement! Compared to his 24-month baseline of +0.27, this is an improvement that seems almost unreal. He improved his strength here by more than sevenfold.
But it wasn't just the putting that ran like clockwork. His Around the Green game was also really strong with +0.58 strokes gained per round and saved him many shots. Here too, Schmid stepped up his game compared to his usual -0.01 strokes. His approach play was also positive and solid at +0.27, representing a clear improvement over his baseline of -0.07. Overall, this resulted in a T2G (Tee to Green) value of +0.69 – a foundation that, thanks to outstanding putting, exploded into a tournament total SG of +2.62 per round.
| Category | PGA Championship SG | 24-Month Baseline SG | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | +2.62 | +0.25 | +2.37 |
| Off the Tee | -0.16 | +0.05 | -0.21 |
| Approach | +0.27 | -0.07 | +0.34 |
| Around the Green | +0.58 | -0.01 | +0.59 |
| Putting | +1.93 | +0.27 | +1.66 |
| T2G | +0.69 | -0.03 | +0.72 |
Where the Game Stumbled: Off the Tee and an Approach Outlier
Despite all these strengths, there are always areas where strokes were lost. Matti Schmid struggled with his play Off the Tee at Aronimink Golf Club. He lost ground in this category with -0.16 strokes gained per round, where he usually is slightly positive at +0.05. There's still room for improvement here to consistently place the ball in optimal positions.
A clear weakness in his approach play became apparent, particularly in the decisive final round. While Matti was positive in approach overall, this value plummeted massively in Round 4 with -2.14 strokes. Despite a very good putting performance in this round (+2.33)
