World No 1 Scottie Scheffler lived up to pre-tournament expectations by claiming his second Masters title with a four-shot victory at Augusta National on Sunday.
Scheffler arrived at the first major of the season as comfortably the best player in the world, with two victories and a runner-up finish in his last three tournaments. Add to that his experience of winning the Masters two years ago, and it made the American the firm favourite to claim his second green jacket.
So it proved as Scheffler won a record $3.6 million top prize after a drama-filled battle with fellow Americans Collin Morikawa and Max Homa and Sweden's Ludvig Aberg, who made an impressive major debut.
“I can't put into words what it means to win this tournament again,” Scheffler said.
He birdied three of the last six holes to fire a four-under-par 68 and finish 72 holes on 11-under 277, with Aberg shooting 69 to finish second on 281.
Two-time major winner Morikawa had a closing 74 to share third on 284 with Homa and England's Tommy Fleetwood.
“I did my best to stay calm out there. I tried to stay patient on the course,” Scheffler said. “Was able to make some key shots and key putts to keep my round going.”
Scheffler matched Tiger Woods as the only player to win the Masters twice while on top of the world rankings. He also became the fourth-youngest multiple Masters winner at age 27 behind Woods, Jack Nicklaus and the late Seve Ballesteros.
Scheffler, who hasn't played a round over par since last August, has the second-fewest Masters starts for any two-time winner with five. Only Horton Smith needed fewer, taking two of the first three Augusta titles in the 1930s.
The 27-year-old American had seized a four-stroke edge but made a bogey at 11 while Aberg moved within two with a tap-in birdie at the par-5 13th.
After Scheffler sank a three-footer for birdie at 13, Aberg answered with a five-foot birdie putt at 14 to stay within two.
“It was a dream come true to be in this situation, to feel the pressure coming down the final holes,” Aberg said.
Scheffler responded with a tap-in birdie at 14 and a nine-foot birdie putt at the par-3 16th to secure the victory. He was greeted at the 18th green by a standing ovation from spectators delighted by his skilled shotmaking.
A crucial streak of three birdies following a bogey at seven featured his most spectacular shot. After a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-5 eighth, Scheffler lofted an incredible 89-yard second shot at the ninth that rolled down a slope within inches of the hole to set up a tap-in birdie for the solo lead.
“It was nice to get that feeling of hitting a really well-struck shot and it set me up to have a really nice back nine,” Scheffler said.
He added a nine-foot birdie putt at 10, reaching 9-under and boosting his lead to two shots while rivals suffered double-bogeys.
Morikawa made a double-bogey at the ninth after finding pine straw and a bunker and another at 11 dropped him out of contention.
“I got greedy on nine and 11. When you're playing good you get greedy,” Morikawa said. “Greed got the best of us.”
Aberg plunked his second shot at 11 into a pond and made double-bogey, spoiling his bid to be the first Masters debut winner since 1979.
“I came out very nervous. I was shaking on the first tee,” Aberg said. “Hitting in the water on 11 wasn't ideal.”
Homa, seeking his first major win, hit an unplayable ball into the flowers over the par-3 12th on the way to his double bogey.
Second-ranked Rory McIlroy, who needs only a Masters victory to complete a career grand slam, fired a 73 to finish on 292. “Hasn't been my year this year but I'm going to keep coming back until it is my year,” McIlroy said, while third-ranked Jon Rahm, the 2023 winner, fired a 76 to finish on 297.
Woods shot 77 to finish 60th on 16-over 304. He said he plans to play the year's other three majors. “Hopefully the next three my body will co-operate.”
