Seventeen-year-old Eila Galitsky switched to a mallet putter for one reason: Scottie Scheffler. Galistky, who is currently contending at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur after an opening 5-under 67, made the switch less than a week ago.
“He changed to a mallet and won two in a row, so I’m like, why not me?” she explained.
The new mallet putter, she said, has given her a confidence on the greens she hasn’t had before. Combine that with an average carry distance of 265 yards off the tee, and the South Carolina commit is becoming a force to reckon with in the amateur game.
The Thai player won the 2023 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific to earn a spot in last year’s field but said she wasn’t prepared for the weather conditions she found in Georgia and missed the cut. This year, she traveled over early and played in the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley beforehand to acclimate and tied for third.
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At last year’s Chevron Championship, Galitsky tied for 28th and earned low amateur honors.
Top-ranked Scheffler debuted the TaylorMade Spider Tour X mallet at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and won by five, leading the field in strokes gained putting. Then he won again at the Players Championship and is the undisputed favorite heading into the Masters.