Second victory at Augusta National for American

American Scottie Scheffler’s dream came true on Sunday when he won the US Masters golf tournament at Augusta National, Georgia, USA for the second time in his career with a sizzling score of 277: 11-under par.

 

The 27-year old from Texas, USA, who is the World Number One golfer, kept his calm the whole week at Augusta National.  Indeed, he looked rather more like a leisurely golfer playing in the club’s friendly Sunday stableford competition than competing in Major.  His scores were much more tantalising though: 66, 72, 71 and a closing 68.

 

Swedish player in second place

 

Indeed, playing in his first Major was 24-year old Ludvig Aberg from Sweden who delighted golf fans with his surprising sole second place at the Masters with a score of 281 (7-under par) with rounds of 73, 69, 70, 69.  Only three players have ever won the Masters Championship on their first appearance: Horton Smith, Gene Sarazen and Fuzzy Zoeller.

 

 

So how did play begin on that sunny Sunday in Georgia?  Well, Scottie Scheffler was leading the Masters after three rounds with a score of 7-under par.  Tucked-in behind him were fellow-Americans Collin Morikawa (-6), who opened on Saturday with three birdies, and Max Homa (-7), followed by Swedish golfer Ludvig Aberg (-4) and American Bryson DeChambeau (-3).

 

On the third hole on Sunday, Scheffler made a birdie to increase his lead over Morikawa and Homa by two.  He then dropped a shot on the 4th hole.  Another bogey followed at the 7th which saw Scheffler in a three-way lead with Morikawa and Ludvig Aberg on 6-under par.

 

Three-shot swing for Scheffler

 

Alas, Morikawa suffered a double-bogey on the 9th hole after leaving his bunker shot in the sand and missing a putt.  And so the American tumbled down the leaderboard with his 5-under par score.  Scheffler seized the opportunity here to tap-in a short putt for birdie and so create a three-shot swing with Morikawa.

 

 

 

The golf was really hotting-up at Augusta National.  Players were suddenly chipping in from all over the course and holing some enormously long putts too.

 

The defending Champion Jon Rahm made the cut and finished with a score of 297 (+7) for a share of 45th spot together with fellow-Spanish player and twice Masters winner, Jose Maria Olazabal.

 

Rather surprisingly, there were three Camerons featured in the top ten of the leaderboard on day three: Cameron Smith, Cameron Davis and Cameron Young.  The Australian Cameron Smith and Cameron Young (USA) struck gold on Sunday finishing with tie 6th and tie 9th places, respectively.

 

Max Homa made a birdie at the 11th hole to creep into second place on 7-under par.  Scheffler was still two ahead.  Amen Corner can cause a great deal of problems at Augusta National, so it is important to keep your concentration under control here and so avoid the double bogeys.  The back nine in a Major is a challenge for every golfer, so it would be interesting to see whether Masters debutant Ludvig Aberg would hold his nerve here.

 

Scheffler’s closing holes

 

Scheffler went on to make birdies at the 13th, 14th and 16th to close his final round with a 4-under par 68.  Meanwhile Aberg, playing ahead of him, had a double bogey on the 11th hole which looked to jeopardise his chances of becoming the Masters Champion.  However, he made a brave recovery to secure birdies at the 13th and 14th and seal a 3-under par 69 on Sunday for an outright second place four shots behind the new Masters winner, Scottie Scheffler.

 

American Collin Morikawa shared third spot with Max Homa (USA) and Englishman Tommy Fleetwood with the score of 284.  Bryson DeChambeau (USA), who was leading the Masters on day one, finished in a tie for 6th with Cameron Smith from Australia on 286 (2-under par).

 

However, I wonder how well Scottie Scheffler slept on Saturday evening.  Another victory for the player from Texas at the world’s first Major of the year, which he also won in 2022, would be an absolute delight for him.  And for his wife, Meredith, too who is expecting their first child.

 

As well as the honour of winning the Masters again, receiving another Green Jacket from defending champion Jon Rahm, picking-up a handsome cheque for 3,361,028.40 euros, Scheffler also had a special message for his wife:

 

“I’m coming home.  I’ll be as quick as I can.  I love you and I’m coming home.  That’s all.  It’s a very, very special time for us both.  I can’t put it into words what it means to win this tournament again.  I really can’t put it into words what it’s going to be like to be a father for the first time.  So I’m looking forward to getting home and celebrating with Meredith.  It’s been a long week here without her.”

 

No doubt, the celebrations will continue for a long time in the Scheffler family.  May we join the world in congratulating Scottie Scheffler as the newly-crowned Masters Champion for 2024 – wonderful!

 

 

Wendy Hoad

Editor

 

 

MAIN PHOTOGRAPH:  The newly-crowned Masters Champion for 2024 Scottie Scheffler.  MIDDLE: Ludvig Aberg.  MINIS (l-r): Scottie Scheffler, Max Homa, Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood.