Masters Tournament | Scottie Scheffler, unequivocally

Nicholas Richard
Press

The 25-year-old Texan not only put on the green jacket, but he did so without really bothering.

Scheffler has been in a class of his own since the start of the season. Before the 2022 turn of the year, he had not won any titles on the PGA Tour. However, since his first career victory in Phoenix in mid-February, he has won four of the last six tournaments he has entered.

Going into Sunday’s round, Scheffler held a three-shot lead over his nearest challenger, Australian Cameron Smith, with whom he was drawn in the final round.

The title was going to be disputed by these two golfers, who are the two most dominant since the beginning of the season. His leadership was that comfortable.

To maintain his lead, the American had to play it safe and avoid cheating. He did so in the first two holes with two pairs. Smith, meanwhile, went like a lion with two birdies. The best player on the circuit on the greens confirmed to Scheffler that he was not going to finish second well. The difference was therefore one stroke.

It was on the third hole that Scheffler really won. The number one in the world is far from being the most successful in his tee shots. However, he is the best to bail out. Strangely, even if he finds himself in a precarious situation, in the woods, with misaligned feet or the ball on a slope, Scheffler knows how to limit the damage. He showed it once more at the Flowering Peach.

After hitting his tee shot into the woods to the left of the fairway and missing his second shot, the point guard pulled a rabbit out of his hat. With his fairway wedge, in the tall grass in front of the raised green, he sent his third shot directly into the cup, placed relatively far down the green.

Fist in the air, the leader accentuated his advantage.

“I surprised myself! I didn’t think I was going to end up right in the hole,” he admitted, just before putting on his jacket after the tournament. “I played very solid golf after that shot. »

Especially since Smith couldn’t thread the needle on the greens, which was rare. He made two consecutive bogeys on the third and fourth holes.

The American continued to do things well, without taking his foot off the accelerator. He picked up pars, as well as making a birdie on the seventh, again thanks to an excellent short game around the green.

In the ninth, Scheffler still had a three-shot lead.

Despite a bogey on the 10^Y hole, it is in the mythical 12^Y that the outcome of the tournament has been decided. This par three where history has been written so many times. However, in full possession of the middle of him, after a birdie on the eleventh, Smith sent his tee shot into the creek in front of the green, following poor contact. An irreparable and extremely costly error. Especially since Scheffler had also missed his tee shot, but in a safe place, on the far left.

Smith botched his putts and completed the hole with a triple bogey. It was made by Australian.

“It’s just a bad impulse. Probably my worst time of the week, worst time of the week. It’s unfortunate,” Smith said, visibly still in shock after his round.

He completely lost concentration from then on, with erratic tee shots and a failed short game. “Despite everything, I think I played maybe the best golf of my life, it just wasn’t my turn. I’m sure one day I’ll wear the green jacket. I feel very comfortable here, the course suits my style of play well, I want to come back every year. »

Although he was virtually out of harm’s way, Scheffler continued to play well. He stayed cautious and used more fairway wood for tee shots. However, his play with the irons and the putter was exemplary to the end. His Olympic calm made the difference, but inside, the champion experienced it differently: “From the outside it didn’t look like it, but I wasn’t so calm! It is a long and hard day. I just wanted to play well on every one of my shots. »

Leader since Friday’s round, Scottie Scheffler had fun at the end of the course. The world of golf has embraced this easygoing-looking big man, who knew how to remain humble despite his success and who cultivates a true passion for his sport.

Every step boxed up to the 18th flag^Y It was accompanied by encouragement and applause from the fans. An extremely popular win for Scheffler.

He finished the day with a card of 71 and a cumulative score of -10.

He especially concluded the tournament with four putts on the last green. Nervousness is definitely involved. The crowd began to shout his name and he was able to complete his last putt. A moment like Scheffler: awkward, but great.

His wife Meredith came to join him immediately, crying.

It was the champion of the 2021 edition, Hideki Matsuyama, who handed over the coveted green jacket to the new king of golf. In addition to the jacket, Scheffler also has a $2.7 million bag on his hands.

“I started thinking about winning after my round on Friday. I just wanted to play. It’s already a dream to play here. I have no words to describe what it means to be here. »

Rory McIlroy, so close…

Rory McIlroy hasn’t won a major since 2014. He only needs the Masters Tournament to complete the grand slam, meaning win each of the four majors at least once. Only five golfers in history have achieved the feat. Golf fans have been waiting for McIlroy to become the sixth for eight years.

Outside of the portrait at the start of the round, the Northern Irishman had a historic day. He posted a 64, the lowest final-round score in tournament history. One shot away from the ultimate record.

McIlroy was brilliant with his short game. He managed to register six birdies and an eagle, at 13^Y.

“I played really well on the greens, that was key,” McIlroy said after his round.

He finished his round with the most spectacular shot of the tournament, at 18^Y. After hitting his first two shots into the sand, he hit a perfect sand serve to the right of the green, from where he placed his ball well to the left of the pin. The ball went down and stopped at the bottom of the cup. The crowd rose, McIlroy was fired up, threw down his cane and waved his arms. He went to -7 and took the provisional second position. At that moment, everything was possible.

“To end like this is just amazing. You never know what awaits us in this tournament. I have never been happier on a golf course than I am right now. »

He was coming off the only bogey-free round of the tournament.

He had finished in the top 10 at the Masters six times in the last eight editions, but it was this year that he achieved his best result.

A memorable weekend for Woods

On this Sunday day, expectations were at an all time low for Tiger Woods. At +7 in the morning session, his chances of winning a sixth green jacket were slim to none.

Everyone was gathered to see the tiger in action, all dressed in red, as tradition dictates. Knowing that he had a brush with death 14 months ago, just seeing him complete 72 holes was a feat in itself. The result didn’t matter.

“I was wondering if I could ever play here again,” he said after the tournament.

The fans at Augusta National gave Woods a big round of applause. especially at 18^Ywhere he received a monstrous standing ovation.

“It was an indescribable feeling. The support I have received has been incredible. I don’t think words can describe what I went through, especially considering what I went through over a year ago, I had little hope at the time. »

Woods started his day well with a par in the first, a birdie in the second and a par in the third. It was his best start since Thursday.

Unlike yesterday, the temperature was milder and above all warmer. At first, Woods seemed annoyed by the heat, as he, too, was wearing long sleeves and traditional black pants.

Just like the day before, Woods ran into trouble on holes four, five and six. He had to settle for three consecutive bogeys. The rest of the course passed without incident for the tiger.

He played par until the start of the famous Amen Corner. At 11^Ywhere he struggled all week, he scored his fourth bogey of the day.

Woods was unable to capitalize on a good tee shot on the par three of the 12th.^Y hole.

Remade a bogey at 14^Yplus a brace at 17^Y. At this point in the competition, almost four and a half hours after starting, Woods was at the end of his rope. He trudged along and each step seemed like a burden.

He made his last putt from roughly the same spot he struck his game-winning shot from in 1997.

Woods returned home to applause, smiles and a cumulative score of +13.

There, the two-time champion of the tournament, Bubba Watson, was waiting to congratulate him.

The Woods clan, made up of two sons, his mother and his girlfriend, then came to join him.

“Just a month ago I didn’t know if I was going to be able to participate in the tournament. This week has been super positive. I still have work to do and I’m ready to go to work. »

Late in the afternoon, Woods confirmed that he would play the British Open at St. Andrews in mid-July.

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