Scottie Scheffler Wins The Masters, Claims First Major Championship

The former Texas All-American became the third former Longhorn to win a green jacket at Augusta National

Scottie Scheffler became the third former Texas Longhorns golfer to win The Masters, as he put together a 1-under 71 on Sunday at Augusta National to finish at 10-under and win by three shots.

Scheffler entered the Masters as the world’s top-ranked player, and became the first player to make the Masters his first win after becoming the world’s No. 1 player since Ian Woosnam did it in 1991. He is also the fifth player to win the Masters as the world’s No. 1 player, joining Fred Couples, Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson.

Número uno del mundo y ahora, ganador del Masters. #elMasters #themasters pic.twitter.com/9x8f4PKj0X

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 10, 2022

He also became the third Texas Longhorn to win the Masters. Jordan Spieth did it in 2015 and Ben Crenshaw won twice, in 1984 and 1995.

The win was Scheffler’s first major and his fourth straight Top 10 finish in a major. He finished in a tie for 18th at the Masters last year. Scheffler broke par in all four rounds, the only player to do so.

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Rory McIlroy, who needs a win at the Masters to complete the career grand slam, tied the record for the best final round in Masters history with a 64, including an incredible bunker shot for birdie on the 18th hole. That moved McIlroy to 7-under and in second place.

Cameron Smith played with Scheffler and started the day three shots back of the lead. At one point, he cut that lead to one shot before faltering and finishing at 5-under for the event after shooting a 1-over 73. That left him in a tie for third with Shane Lowry, who shot a 3-under 69.

Collin Morikawa — who also made a birdie out of the bunker on the 18th in the same pairing as McIlroy — finished in fifth at 4-under-par.

Scheffler’s round didn’t cause quite the buzz that McIlroy’s did but entering the day with a three-shot lead, all Scheffler needed to do was be the player he had been for the first three days — consistent.

Despite a rocky start with his tee shots on the first four holes, which led to his lead shrinking to one shot after two holes, he largely avoided the traps that Augusta National poses down the stretch.

In fact, McIlroy posted his 7-under as Scheffler parred the par-5 13th hole, leaving Scheffler ahead by three shots. Sometimes a posted score can frazzle a player that hasn’t won a major. Unfazed, Scheffler not only maintained his lead, he drained a birdie at the 14th hole minutes later and followed it with a birdie at No. 15, giving him a five-shot lead with three holes to play and what amounted to a casual Sunday walk at Augusta National, in spite of a four-putt double-bogey at the final hole. 

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The tournament hinged on two holes, the latter of which set Scheffler on his final path to the title.

At the famed par-3 12th at Amen Corner, Smith had just trimmed Scheffler’s lead back to three shots with a birdie at the 11th. Smith hit first at 12, with the pin in its usual Sunday position —behind the water and cut just behind the front bunker on the left side of the green. Smith mis-hit his 9-iron and put his ball in the water, leading to a triple-bogey six and taking him out of the tournament.

Scheffler pulled his 9-iron at 12, but kept the ball dry and above the hole, as he chipped up-and-down for par. Smith fell back to 4-under and third place, and Scheffler had a four-shot lead over McIlroy at 6-under.

The other big momentum shift came earlier in the round at the par-3 third hole. Smith birdied the first two holes while Scheffler, who started the day 9-under-par, had to scramble to par both holes, putting Smith a shot back of Scheffler at 8-under.

At the third, both players sent their tee shots well left near a large scoreboard. Scheffler received relief from the scoreboard and hit what looked like a great second shot to the green. But his pitch shot hit a false front checked up and rolled back down the hill, setting up a difficult third shot. Smith had a similar shot but was about 20 yards in front of Scheffler. His second shot did the same thing as Scheffler’s, setting up matching pitches.

Those shots had vastly different results. Scheffler went first and hit a pitch that bounced once on the hill, checked up a bit on the green and rolled in for an unexpected birdie to move him to 10-under.

Smith’s shot ran hot and about 10 feet past the cup, and after he failed to make his par he was back at 7-under and three shots back.

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USA Today Sports

USA Today Sports

To add insult to the two-shot swing, Smith lost another shot at the par-3 fourth. Both found trouble, as Scheffler sent his tee shot through the back of the green and Smith put his in the bunker in front of the pin. Scheffler got up-and-down for par and Smith failed to get up-and-down out of the bunker, missing a seven-foot par and dropping to 6-under and four shots back. 

Scheffler’s short game continued to bail him out, and after the front nine he remained four shots up on the field.

With his victory, he became the first player to win four of six starts since Jason Day did it in 2015. One of Day’s win was a major title, the PGA Championship. That event will be next month at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Okla.

Scheffler also won 50 years after Crenshaw, then an undergrad at Texas, was the low amateur in the Masters. He repeated the feat in 1973 before going pro.

Scheffler, who grew up in Highland Park in Dallas, won his first PGA Tour event on Super Bowl Sunday, the same day that another Highland Park product, Matthew Stafford, won his first Super Bowl ring. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who won a World Series in 2020, also went to Highland Park. 

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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