Scottie Scheffler wins 2022 Masters
Scottie Scheffler controlled the 2022 Masters since Friday. The dominance ended with him donning the green jacket on Sunday.
The 25-year-old, currently ranked No. 1 in the world, shot a 1-under 71 in the final round to end the tournament at 10 under, three strokes ahead of second-place finisher Rory McIlroy. Scheffler was the only player in the field to break par in all four rounds.
Scheffler carded a double bogey on No. 18 after he missed a pair of short-range putts. His lead provided plenty of room for error, though.
McIlroy tied the Masters final round record with a 64, punctuated by a chip in from the bunker on No. 18 for birdie.
McIlroy’s Sunday charge wasn’t enough to overtake Scheffler, who won his first career major.
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Tiger Woods, hoping to make a run at another green jacket 14 months after a horrific car accident, carded his second straight 6-over 78 to finish tied for 47th, his worst finish as a professional.
Scottie Scheffler cruised to victory
As McIlroy and Collin Morikawa’s fireworks from the bunkers brought Augusta to a roar, Scheffler never wavered. He sunk birdies on No. 14 and 15 after a key par save on No. 11, which Cam Smith birdied to cut Scheffler’s lead to three strokes. Smith imploded on No. 12, and Scheffler hardly looked back.
The fans waiting at the 18th green serenaded him applause.
There’s no golfer hotter than Scheffler right now. He won the Phoenix Open in February and won two other tournaments (Arnold Palmer Invitational and WGC – Dell Technologies Match Play) before The Masters.
Nick Faldo teases Rory McIlory chip on 18
Sir Nick Faldo, a three-time Masters winner, occupies the color commentator seat next to Jim Nantz on the CBS broadcast at Augusta National each year.
He used that power to let viewers know about Rory McIlroy’s hole-out from the bunker on No. 18 before they could even see it.
The CBS broadcast stayed on a Cameron Smith putt on No. 13 when the roars from 18 could be heard. Faldo said “something incredible has happened.” Then CBS showed the epic shot and reaction from the crowd.
Rory McIlroy roars into 2nd at Masters; Collin Morikawa follows with own chip-in
Rory McIlroy ended the round of a lifetime in style.
From the bunker on 18, McIlroy holed out for birdie to cap off an 8-under 64 in Sunday’s final round. He moved into sole possession of second place at 7 under for the tournament with the shot.
“That was the happiest I’ve ever been on the golf course,” MIlroy said on CBS.
McIlroy tied the lowest final round score in Masters history. It was the eighth Sunday 64, the most recent being by Jordan Spieth.
In celebration, McIlroy flung his club and raised his arms toward the roaring patrons.
“I’ve never heard a roar like that on 18 before,” McIlroy said.
Collin Morikawa, McIlroy’s partner Sunday, holed out from the same bunker for birdie to keep the crowd on 18 frenzied. That brought Morikawa to 4 under for the tournament, tied for third.
Cam Smith melts down on No. 12
The window had briefly opened for Cam Smith. He birdied No. 11 to bring himself within three shots of leader Scottie Scheffler.
Then came hole No. 12.
With a 9 iron in his hand, Smith flubbed his tee shot into Rae’s Creek. It somehow got worse from there.
Smith tried to go right at the pin once again, this time from 50 yards out, but his wedge shot sailed over the green, eliminating any chance of an up-and-down bogey save. The frustration boiled over with a flippant club toss.
With a chance to save a double bogey, Smith missed a makeable putt, and he left No. 12 with a triple – and a six-shot deficit.
Scheffler leads by four over McIlroy with six holes left.
Smith’s meltdown certainly wasn’t the first at “Golden Bell,” the name of the 12th at Augusta. There was Greg Norman in 1986 and Jordan Spieth in 2016. And Francesco Molinari’s gaffes on 12 led to Tiger Woods’ dramatic victory three years ago.
Scottie Scheffler closing in on Masters green jacket
So far so good for the Masters’ odds-on favorite entering Sunday.
Scheffler birdied two holes (Nos. 3 and 7) and played mostly mistake-free golf the rest of his first nine holes to carry a four-shot lead over his playing partner Cam Smith into the back nine. Scheffler finished the front nine at 11 under for the tournament, and he is in the same place on Sunday – as his lead has grown by one since he woke up this morning.
If Scheffler seals the deal, his birdie on No. 3 will be considered his “Masters moment.” After an errant approach shot, Scheffler chipped in on a rolling shot that skipped right into the hole.
Rory McIlroy has moved into sole possession of third place at 6 under.
Rory McIlory surges in Masters final round
Rory McIlroy stormed out to a front-nine 32 (4 under, four birdies) to move into third…
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