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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 emphatically underlined his status as
world number one by claiming his first major title in the 86th Masters at
Augusta National.
Scheffler survived early pressure from Cameron Smith and
then kept a charging Rory McIlroy at bay to win for a remarkable fourth time in
his last six events.
The 25-year-old American suffered the embarrassment of
four-putting the 18th, but a closing 71 saw him finish 10 under par.
He was three shots clear of McIlroy, whose stunning 64
equalled the lowest final round in tournament history.
Smith rallied from a devastating triple-bogey on the 12th to
finish in a tie for third on five under.
He was alongside Ireland’s Shane Lowry, the former Open
champion recovering from his own triple bogey on the fourth to return a 69.
Scheffler took a three-shot lead into the final round.
He saw his advantage cut to a single stroke as Smith birdied
the first two holes, and chipped in for an unlikely birdie on the third.
This helped to restore his overnight cushion as Smith bogeyed
the same hole.
Smith also dropped a shot on the difficult par-three fourth
hole.
The gap remained four shots at the turn before the
Australian made a superb birdie on the 11th, the most difficult hole on the
course.
Bidding to join Tiger Woods as the only players to win the
Masters and Players Championship in the same year, Smith’s chances promptly
ended.
This was when he hit a terrible tee shot on the 12th into
Rae’s Creek.
That left an inspired McIlroy alone in second, four shots
behind Scheffler, until the Northern Irishman produced a stunning birdie from a
greenside bunker on the 18th.
That completed a brilliant 64, just one shot outside the
course record and eclipsing McIlroy’s previous lowest score of 65 in the
opening round in 2011.
That was when he went on to lead by four shots after 54
holes before slumping to a closing 80.
“This tournament never ceases to amaze and that’s as happy
as I’ve ever been on a golf course right there,” an ecstatic McIlroy said.
“To play as well as I did and then to finish like this, I
mean, it’s just absolutely incredible.”
McIlroy felt his heroics would not be enough with Scheffler
sizing up a birdie putt on the 14th as he spoke.
The American duly converted there and picked up another shot
on the next to effectively seal a commanding victory.
“I gave it a good go and could not ask any more of myself,”
added McIlroy, who needs to win the Masters to complete a career grand slam.
“I’ll come back and keep trying.”
McIlroy had birdied the first and drove the green on the
third to set up another, perhaps fuelled by missing out on the par-five second.
This was after hitting a 376-yard drive but then pushing his
approach into a bunker.
The four-time major winner also picked up shots on the
seventh and eighth before missing another good chance on the ninth.
But he swiftly made amends by chipping in from the back of
the green on the 10th and also made an eagle on the par-five 13th.
Five-time Masters champion Woods was completing a second
straight 78 as the final group got their rounds under way.
But he admitted just playing this week was one of the
greatest achievements of his career following the injuries he suffered in an
horrific car crash 14 months ago.
“For not winning an event, yes. Yes, without a doubt,” Woods
said.
“I don’t think people really understand. The people who are
close to me understand.
“Some of the players who are close to me have seen it and
have seen some of the pictures and the things that I have had to endure.”
Woods said he was unsure whether he would play next month’s
US PGA Championship at Southern Hills.
But he did say that he would contest the 150th Open
Championship in July at St Andrews, the scene of two of his Open victories.