Masters Tournament | Scottie Scheffler, unequivocally

Scottie Scheffler rose to the top of the world order two weeks ago. In his first tournament as world number one, he won the most prestigious tournament in golf history, the Masters Tournament.

Nicholas Richard
The Press

Not only did the 25-year-old Texan put on the green jacket, but he did so without ever being really bothered.

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

Going into Sunday’s round, Scheffler had a three-shot lead over his closest pursuer, Australian Cameron Smith, who he paired with for the final round.

The title was going to be disputed between these two golfers, who are the two most dominant since the start of the season. Their lead was that comfortable.

To maintain his lead, the American had to play it safe and avoid pitfalls. That’s what he did on the first two holes with two pars. Smith, for his part, left as a lion with two birdies. The best player on the circuit on the greens confirmed to Scheffler that he was not there to finish good second. The gap was therefore one stroke.

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

After firing 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 long grass in front of the raised green, he sent his third shot straight into the cup, positioned relatively far up the green.

The fist in the air, the leader accentuated his lead.

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

Especially since Smith was unable to thread the needle on the greens, a rare thing. 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 collected the pars, in addition to making a birdie in the seventh, again thanks to an excellent short game around the green.

In the ninth, Scheffler still had the lead by three strokes.

Despite a bogey at 10^and hole, it’s at the mythical 12^and that the outcome of the tournament has been decided. This par three where history has been written so often. Yet in full possession of his means, after a birdie in the eleventh, Smith sent his tee shot into the stream located in front of the green, following a bad 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 screwed up his putts and completed the holeshot with a triple bogey. It was done for the Australian.

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

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

Even though he was virtually out of danger, Scheffler continued to play well. He remained cautious, using more of his fairway wood for tee shots. Nevertheless, his game with his irons and his putter was exemplary until the very end. His Olympian calm made the difference, but from the inside, the champion experienced it differently: “It may not have seemed from the outside, but I wasn’t that calm! It’s a long, hard day. I just wanted to play well on each 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 big guy with a nonchalant look, who knew how to remain humble despite success and who cultivates a real passion for his sport.

Each step encased until the flag of 18^and was accompanied by encouragement and applause from the fans. An extremely popular victory that of 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 started shouting his name and he was able to complete his last putt. A moment like Scheffler: awkward, but grandiose.

His wife Meredith came to join him immediately, in tears.

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

“I started thinking about winning after my round on Friday. I just wanted to play. Already it’s 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 tournament since 2014. He only needs the Masters Tournament to complete the grand slam, that is, to win each of the four major tournaments 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.

Out of the portrait at the start of the round, the Northern Irishman had a historic day. He posted a 64, the lowest final-round result 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 the 13^and.

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

He ended his round with the most spectacular shot of the tournament, at 18^and. After sending his first two shots into the sand, he made a perfect sand takeout to the right of the green, from where he placed his ball far to the left of the flag. The ball came down and stopped its way at the bottom of the cup. The crowd surged, McIlroy was fired up, he threw his stick and waved his arms around. He went to -7 and took the second provisional position. At that time, anything was possible.

“To end like this is just incredible. You never know what awaits us at this tournament. I have never been happier on a golf course than at this time. »

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 got his best result.

A memorable weekend for Woods

On this Sunday day, expectations were at their lowest for Tiger Woods. At +7 in the matinee, his chances of winning a sixth green jacket were slim to none.

Everyone was gathered to see the tiger at work, 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 myself if I would ever be able to play here again,” he said after the tournament.

Fans at Augusta National gave Woods plenty of loud applause. Especially at 18^andwhere 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. Early on, Woods seemed bothered by the heat, as he also wore long sleeves and the traditional black pants.

Like the day before, Woods got into trouble at holes number four, five and six. He had to settle for three consecutive bogeys. The rest of the course was uneventful for the tiger.

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

Woods wasn’t able to capitalize on a good tee shot on par three from 12^and hole.

He redid a bogey at 14^andin addition to a double at 17^and. By this point in the competition, almost four and a half hours after starting, Woods was at the end of his rope. He walked painfully and each step seemed to be a burden.

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

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

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

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

“Barely 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 get to work. »

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

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