Wayne Riley
I’ve just got back from Augusta National and it’s fair to say I’m pretty tired! Major Championship weeks are very full on, but it was a pleasure to go to my first Masters and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Of course, having watched it so many times I knew roughly what to expect, but it’s much better in person – there’s no blade of grass out of place.
It’s also blooming hilly, which, when combined with the fact I’m not allowed inside the ropes as per other events and have to broadcast from certain areas, makes it fairly tricky for an on-course commentator! It certainly took some getting used to with regards to what you can do and say, but it was a great experience and I’m looking forward to hopefully going back next year.
On the course, the quality of golf was terrific, but one man was just too good for them all. What an unbelievable and meteoric rise it’s been for Scottie Scheffler over the past two months or so. Four wins in six events is some going, especially when you consider the tournaments his victories have come in. He’s a seriously good golfer and a decent bloke to boot. What’s so impressive is the fact his golf swing isn’t perfect, but he’s unbelievably composed and he boasts an amazing mind and great character. I know he cried to his wife, Meredith, before the final round as he didn’t feel he was ready, but to come through that and perform as he did speaks volumes.
His short game and putting were so good and I believe he won the tournament on the 3rd hole. No one claims a Major without a bit of luck and his came on that chip shot, which would most likely have resulted in a bogey if it didn’t strike the flag. It was a gut punch to Cameron Smith, who had started birdie-birdie, and totally flipped the momentum. But who’s to say Scheffler wouldn’t have prevailed anyway.
Throughout the final round, he got up and down so often, starting at the very first hole. He’s become such a good putter, too, and you sensed nothing anyone else threw at him would be enough. He made another great up and down at 4, holed a testing six-footer at 6, birdied 7 and made a really timely par on 11 after Smith had just birdied. It seemed like any time pressure was exerted or Smith edged closer, he had the perfect response. That’s the mark of a great golfer.
Of course, Smith firing into the water on 12 didn’t do any harm. It was harsh on the Aussie, who’d played some great stuff all week, but ultimately he got too aggressive at the wrong time. Either that or he just pushed it, and some would say it’s the golfing gods getting revenge after his shot to the 17th in the final round of the Players finished right of the pin! Either way, he did us proud and it’s hard to imagine him finishing his career without a Green Jacket.
Another player who deserves a massive pat on the back is Tiger Woods, who put in a superhuman effort to make the cut and complete 72 holes, even though he was really hobbling by the end. He must just have a different pain threshold to mere mortals. I thought Augusta would be way too hilly for him and that the US PGA in warmer conditions might be his first event back. The man is simply made of different stuff. Just having him around is great for the game.
On a final note, it was good to see Rory Mcilroy finish with a bogeyfree 64, but many people are wondering why he seems to produce his best when he’s out of contention. It’s a completely fair question to ask. I’m sure he and his team are looking at that and trying to analyse it, but the fact is his first-round scoring average in Majors over the last few years has been poor. Interestingly, he’s now working with mental game guru Bob Rotella, and that could be extremely significant. Hopefully they can come up with the solution between them, because it’s been eight years since his last Major win – far too long for a player of his calibre.
“Scheffler’s swing isn’t perfect, but he’s so composed and boasts an amazing mind”