It was in the balance for some time, but in the end, Scottie Scheffler took command. Scheffler birdied six of his last eleven holes to outlast the chasing pack and win the 2024 Masters tournament by four strokes. His virtuoso performances have now been contextualised as he wins his second major and his second Masters in three years.
He was the second man to win twice at Augusta in five or fewer starts. The first was Horton Smith who won two of the first three Masters that has ever been held. That was one of multiple records Scheffler achieved by the time he tapped in for par on 18 in front of the sea of patrons. Could we be on the precipice of greatness?
Scheffler’s Win Encapsulates in Three Record Stats
First player in history to win The Masters by three or more strokes twice in three years.
The fourth youngest player to win the Masters a second time behind Nicklaus, Woods, and Ballesteros.
The second player to win multiple majors as the no. 1 ranked player in the World Ranking (Woods, 11 majors as number one).
Scottie Scheffler: A Deserved Champion
Recency bias is a dangerous inclination, but this run from Scheffler feels truly special. This year he has now won at Bay Hill, The Players (first person to go back-to-back) and the Masters.
A handful of Tiger comparisons have been drawn since Scottie’s visible separation from the rest, and he is now accentuating that by matching some of Woods’ historic form. To add some context, Scottie joined Tiger as the only two ever to win multiple titles at Sawgrass and Augusta.
And the only players to win both of those tournaments in the same year, are Scottie and Tiger. It has been a relentless run of out-of-this-world ball striking. The one thing misfiring before was his putting. But since the switch to the mallet, he has looked a different man. Sure, he missed some short putts this week, but Augusta’s greens are so severe and quick that putting from below the hole is a necessity.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Turning Point
In the end, it never felt like he was going to lose it. Ludwig and Morikawa found the water on 11, a treacherous mistake pushed Scottie further clear. The only remaining competitor was Homa, who went long on 12 and into a hedge. That resulted in a double bogey which all but ended his chances of winning. despite Aberg bouncing back with birdies on 13 and 14, the stage was clear.
A minor blip on 11 by not getting up and down was just a minor caution. Scheffler executed shot after shot and everyone in attendance knew he wasn’t going to make a fatal mistake. It is just not something that he does. He has the mentality and the precision to plot his way around the course. be conservative when he must and make birdies when the opportunity arises. It was a display of brilliance by a tremendous golfer.
Is Scheffler’s Greatness Boring?
Many have defined Scottie’s greatness as boring. His winning all the time is boring and people find it hard to root for him. It is disrespectful to hone that stance because his greatness is anything but. Not only is his golf game unmatched, but his grounded and introspective personality makes him a complete man.
His post-round presser last night exhibited not just how much he wants to beat everyone in front of him, but also the other priorities in his life that come before golf. He revealed his desire to get home, with his pregnant wife Meredith expecting their first child imminently. He values his family and his faith, which is something that makes him even more commendable and respectable.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt is hard not to get carried away with Scottie. It feels as if he could win every single tournament he plays in. Even murmurs about the grand slam are circulating. But again, you don’t want to get caught up in recency bias.
Golf is a tough sport, and you are competing against so many other guys. Nothing is stopping Scottie from winning all four majors this year, and I think he will disappointed if he does not win at least one more in 2024. Historically, majors have come in bunches for great players.
Success is not everlasting, you have to make the most of it when it comes around. But players are gearing up to try and track down the best player in the world, and will now be even more fuelled to challenge him on the biggest stage. The PGA Championship heads to Valhalla next month. Will Scottie win again, or will someone else rise to the top?
Was Homa Too Conservative?
Max Homa ended up finishing T3, his best-ever major finish. But will he rue the slip-ups he endured to go 73-73 on the weekend? Max was too defensive in his quest to chase down Scheffler in rounds three and four. he adopted the strategy of laying up on both 13 and 15 when the play was to put his foot down and try to make an eagle. Granted, eagles were hard to come by – there was only one on 15 all week. But his decision to lay back and then not execute the wedge shot meant Homa missed one of the few opportunities that Augusta gives you to score.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn comparison, Scottie, who finished 11 under, was nine under on the par fives for the week. He was level on par fours and two under on par threes. It was a clinic in taking advantage of the slightly easier holes. It is what you are supposed to do around Augusta if you are to contend. Homa still had a highly positive week overall with plenty to take away and learn. He’ll be back, that is for sure. But his game plan was his fatal flaw and that is what prevented him from pushing Scheffler right to the very end.
Ludwig’s Unwavering Attitude
Aberg finished solo second in his first-ever major. That’s right, his first major ever. You wouldn’t think that watching him this week. Most don’t fare too well on their first voyage around the Augusta track. But the promising young Swede defied history and wrote his own script. His demeanour on the golf course is unwavering which exemplifies his play. After his double bogey on 11, instead of stomping off the green with his head down, he strolled off with a wry smile.
He knew he had made a mistake, he accepted that. He appears to be a quick learner and this week, in his first Masters, he would have learnt a lot. But his attitude to move on from a mistake and bounce back by making birdie on two of the next three holes is quintessential of Ludwig’s mature and calm persona which is much to admire.
Morikawa with an Unfavourable Double-Double
Collin Morikawa posted two doubles on Sunday. But unlike on an NBA court, it is less favourable on the golf course. The loss of four shots in three holes vaulted the two-time major winner out of the running. He was playing with Scottie in the final pairing and on numerous occasions, as Collin slipped up, Scottie put his foot down. It was incredulous through a neutral spectator lens to witness Morikawa’s inability to match Scheffler’s absolute control of his golf ball.
Embed from Getty ImagesAfter a below-average past 12 months or so for Collin by his standards, it was a promising sign of a potential return to form this week at Augusta. But like all the other contenders, Morikawa eventually fell off, unable to keep up with Scottie’s brilliance. A wayward drive was the story of the day for the 27-year-old. And it was a loose cut into the trees on nine that resulted in a punch second shot ending up in the front left bunker.
Short-sided, he tried to be cute and left it in the trap. He could then only play it to 20 feet past the hole and missed the putt coming back for a bogey. On 11, Morikawa made the same mistake as Aberg in the group in front, hitting a pull draw into the water.
He was unable to get up and down following a drop, putting him back at 3-under. I think even he knew he was out of it by then, making drastic errors around Augsuta is accentuated by the severity of the contouring.
Notable Non-Competitors
Tommy Fleetwood submitted another non-competitive top-five at a major. Something he has become the king of in recent years. It is his fourth top-five in the last nine majors. Yet he has still never asserted himself into contention in the final round. At The Open Championship last year, he was at the top of the leaderboard more or less from start to finish.
But Harman ran away with it on the weekend so it can’t be considered as ‘Tommy Lad’ contending for the win. He is still waiting for his first PGA Tour win which seems astonishing. But, at this rate, it could be more viable to conceive that Tommy could win a major before a Tour event. The Open perceivable fits his game the best and is held in his home country. But his weakness seems to be his putting when it matters most.
More Masters disappointment for Rory McIlroy who finished in a tie for 22nd. He failed to battle the toughest of conditions on Friday shooting a 77 that plummeted the Northern Irishman out of contention. Mcilroy didn’t have a round in the 60’s and it was visible that he was nowhere near his best ball-striking-wise.
He will have to wait at least another 12 months before he has another chance to win a green jacket that would also complete the grand slam. Rory will return to Valhall in May where he won his last major ten years ago. Perhaps he could spark those memories into his fifth major win.
Embed from Getty ImagesLow amateur Neal Shipley, also the only amateur to make the cut, was granted a fantasy pairing on Sunday. He played with none other than Tiger Woods in the last round, a dream scenario for the Ohio State graduate. I’m sure he learnt a lot playing with the man with five green jackets making his 27th appearance.
Another Masters Done and Dusted
It is a shame we must wait a year now until the next Masters. It is such a special week that needs to be cherished as a staple of golf as a sporting spectacle. Some wish it were held more than once a year but that would reduce its annual authenticity and uniqueness as the first major of the year. For now, we’ll just have to rewatch on repeat all the memorable moments that Augusta has delivered over the years.
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