Rarely has such a one-sided tournament been as exciting as the 86th Masters last week in Augusta – Scottie beamed, Rory roared and we were able to marvel at another extraordinary Tiger performance.
There should be no doubt about the quality of Scottie Scheffler’s win. The tall American was the only man to break par on all four days, tackling challenging conditions throughout.
The 25-year-old, who has rocketed to the top of the world rankings with an amazing run of four wins in six tournaments, kept the field at bay from the moment he was five shots clear on day two.
But Rory McIlroy’s rousing finish reminded us of his box office talent and the returning Tiger Woods defied many expectations by making the cut – something that set himself apart from other former world number ones like Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth and Justin Rose.
Woods ran out of breath with consecutive weekend rounds of 78, but his opening 71 and the enthusiasm he’s brought to the first full Augusta galleries since his 2019 triumph set the tone for a glorious week of golf.
Scheffler is a special talent. The quiet man of America’s winning Ryder Cup team last year was still waiting for his maiden PGA Tour success in Whistling Straits last September.
He possesses an imaginative game, enjoys moving the ball both ways and shaping shots to meet the challenge. He’s great to watch and his chipping last week was remarkably good.
Teaming up with caddy Ted Scott last November appears to have been the catalyst in unleashing the Texan’s full potential. The bagman, who has stood alongside Bubba Watson in his two Masters wins, knew he was on to a good thing when Scheffler took it on.
“He was the number one junior in the world,” commented Scott. “Winner was US Junior, Great College Player, Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year. He’s a winner.
“It’s not like he wasn’t a winner and all of a sudden I started driving for him and all of a sudden it’s like he’s a winner. It was inevitable.”
Aside from making the final four-putt after the tournament was already won, Scheffler hardly made a mistake other than spilling his takeout while driving back to his house last Saturday night.
Meredith, his wife, laughed. Scheffler was irritated, but quickly overcame the severe setback. Then on Sunday morning he broke down in tears and doubted if he was ready for his big break.
But arriving on the court brought a calm of mind that was the hallmark of his stunning performance at the first men’s major of the year.
“Playing with a lead isn’t easy, especially in a golf tournament like this,” said Scheffler.
“If you were to probably do a straw poll of the guys on tour which golf tournament they would like to win, it would be the Masters.
“Away from the golf course, it’s stressful. It’s a lot of fun on the golf course.”
A committed Christian, Scheffler was born in New Jersey but grew up in Dallas, Texas. His mother worked while his father took care of the house.
Young Scottie was a golf freak and looked up to local heroes like Justin Leonard and Ryan Palmer.
“I grew up with so many guys out there, just watching them and learning from them,” Scheffler said.
“When I was a kid at Royal Oaks, I wore pants (slacks) because I wanted to play golf on the PGA Tour. I wore pants and a collared shirt to like and poke fun at third grade—rightfully so. “
And like so many of his contemporaries, Woods was his ultimate hero. “Oh yes,” Scheffler smiled. “I played Tiger’s irons this week, wore his shoes, wore his shirt.”
And the champion played like the five-time Masters winner to secure his first major in just 10 attempts. A dominant, unwavering style of golf that took him beyond McIlroy’s exploits on the final day.
The 32-year-old from Northern Ireland went all out on Sunday with his 64, his most exciting golf since failing to make the cut at the 2019 Open at Royal Portrush.
When he pulled out 13th there was an outside chance. He knew there were birdie opportunities on the next three holes, but on 14 and 15 he was pulling drives that prevented him from getting onto the greens.
Nevertheless, the sensational hole-in for the birdie from the green bunker at 6 p.m. provided the grandstand moment of the tournament and a boisterous celebration.
McIlroy spectacularly reminded us why he can be such a compelling force.
“I don’t think it just prepares me for the Masters next year, it prepares me for the rest of the year,” he said.
“It was a golf course that I thought was doable and I feel like I’m playing well enough to go there and get those kind of scores.”
However, he admitted with frustration that he couldn’t keep the momentum going with those misguided shots on the 14th and 15th holes.
“You always look back and think about what could have been,” McIlroy added.
Joined by a spirited Shane Lowry, who finished third with Cameron Smith, it was a good week for the Irish.
But the current world rankings only have four Europeans in the top 20 – the balance of power is clearly American. And now with Scheffler at the top.
“I never expected to be where I am now,” he mused while wearing his newly adjusted green jacket.
“You know, you don’t expect things to come to you in this life. You just do the best you can with the hand you’re dealt – and just go from there.
“I never thought I would be this good at golf so I just kept practicing and working hard and I will continue to do that.”
This was his third master. Just being in Augusta had been an ambition fulfilled.
“I dreamed of being part of this golf tournament. When I first got my invite in the mail, I burst into tears,” Scheffler added.
But he’s not a big softie. Scheffler is a ruthless golf machine.
“If you pick one golf tournament to win, that would be the tournament I want to win,” he said.
“You don’t know how many chances you’re going to get… I had a five shot lead on Friday and then a three shot lead on Sunday, I don’t know if you get better chances. You don’t want to waste them.”
Scheffler certainly did not miss the opportunity. He has the added pleasure of knowing he’s triumphed in another truly memorable Masters.
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