Scottie Scheffler’s victory at the Masters was a testament to his stoic greatness and unorthodox footwork during his swing. With birdies on six of his last 11 holes, Scheffler secured his second Masters win, making him the fourth-youngest player in history to achieve this feat. His dominance in the tournament is evident, as he has won by three and four shots in his two victories. Scheffler joins the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Seve Ballesteros, and Sam Snead as one of the few players to win multiple times by three or more strokes.
Scheffler’s statistical achievements draw comparisons to Woods. He had the best strokes gained tee-to-green average since Woods in 2006 and the lowest bogey average since Woods in 2002. He has also won multiple major championships while ranked No. 1 in the world, a feat only achieved by him and Woods.
Scheffler’s success can be attributed to his exceptional iron play, which has made him the best iron player on the PGA Tour since last season. Surprisingly, he won the Masters without excelling in strokes gained approach, relying instead on his underrated short game. Scheffler led the tournament in strokes gained around the green and compensated for hitting the fewest greens in regulation among Masters winners since 2007.
Ludvig Åberg finished alone in second place, becoming one of the few players to achieve this feat in their first Masters appearance. Although no player has won the Masters in their debut since 1979, Åberg’s performance indicates a promising future. Collin Morikawa had a chance to join Nicklaus, Woods, and Gary Player as one of the few players to win three major championships before turning 30, but double bogeys derailed his chances.
Tommy Fleetwood produced his best result at the Masters, finishing tied for third. He joins Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Morikawa, and Tony Finau as one of the five players with a top-five finish in all four men’s major championships since 2017. Cameron Smith has also been consistent at Augusta National, finishing in the top 10 in five Masters tournaments since 2018.
Bryson DeChambeau had his best finish at the Masters, tying for sixth place. Despite a brilliant 65 in the first round, DeChambeau struggled in the following days, losing shots on the greens. Rory McIlroy’s performance at the Masters was disappointing, finishing tied for 22nd place. McIlroy’s brilliant approach play numbers from the previous week did not translate to Augusta National.
Tiger Woods completed his 100th round at the Masters but had a challenging weekend due to physical limitations. His 72-hole score of 304 is the highest of his major championship career. The champion emerging from the final group on Sunday has become a common occurrence at the Masters, happening 29 out of the last 34 times. The 11th hole proved to be the most difficult to par, continuing a trend from recent years.
Scottie Scheffler’s victory extends the streak of champions being double digits under par at the Masters for seven consecutive years. As the PGA Championship approaches, golf fans eagerly anticipate another exciting tournament.