MASTER SCHEFF
Scottie red-hot favourite to blow field away like Tiger
WORLD NO.1 Scottie Scheffler is the hottest favourite to win the Masters since peak Tiger after showing Woods-like consistency this season.
But the God-fearing Texan is nothing like his fellow American off the course.
“I’m a faithful guy,” said the 2022 champion. “I believe in a creator. I believe in Jesus. I think that’s what defines me the most.”
Yet, if the build-up to Augusta last year was all about how LIV stars would perform back in the Majors, the big question this time is: who can stop Scheffler?
He is the shortest-priced favourite here since Woods in 2011 after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players and finishing tied second at Houston.
Welshman Ian Woosnam, one of only five players to win here while top of the world rankings, said: “I became world No.1 on the Monday and won the following Sunday. It was quite a week.
“Scheffler will have even more momentum going in this year.”
The American won his first Major here two years ago after claiming three wins in five PGA starts. He is imperious from tee to green but has struggled with the putter. He finished 53rd for putting out of the 53 players who made the cut last year. But when he putts well, he wins.
He has now won eight times in 26 months to open up a big lead at the top of the world rankings. But Scheffler, 27, is too modest to contemplate world domination.
“I try not to look too far into the future,” he said. “Hopefully I’ll be out here competing for a long, long time, but life throws crazy stuff at you sometimes.”
His beloved wife Meredith is about to give birth, while Scheffler will be carrying the heavy weight of favouritism.
“He’s never come into the Masters with all of this anticipation on his shoulders, as the No.1 player in the world,” said Sky Sports analyst Butch Harmon. “I think we will see right away how he handles it with the kind of start he gets off to.”
Jon Rahm began with a double bogey after four-putting the first green last year before recovering to win his second Major by four shots.
In the process, he saw off LIV’s top players, with Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed all finishing in the top five.
Now the Spaniard has joined them in a $600m deal.
Rahm has finished inside the top 10 at all five LIV events this season.
And after happily talking about his Champions Dinner menu in his pre-tournament press conference, the world No.3 bristled at the suggestion he is coming in undercooked.
“If anything, I feel physically better than I did last year,” he said. “I do feel fresh and ready for it.”
Rahm said last week he was “confident” one of the 13 LIV players here will win. But Fred Couples is definitely not a fan of the breakaway league.
“I don’t think I’ll ever understand it,” said Couples, Masters winner in 1992. “Maybe I’ll go to one and see what it’s really, really like.”