Scheffler win shows tour depth
One of the first lessons learned while covering golf at its highest level: There are a lot of good players out there. Really, really good players.
Scottie Scheffler offers a tidy illustration. Barely more than two years ago, at the start of 2020, he stood No. 66 in the world ranking. Barely more than one year ago, at the start of 2021, he was No. 32. Barely more than two months ago, before the Phoenix Open, he was No. 15 — and still without a PGA Tour victory.
And look at him now. Scheffler’s emphatic victory Sunday in the Masters punctuated his rapid, remarkable rise to undisputed No. 1 player on the planet. He has taken off on a Tiger Woods-like run, the kind of crazy-hot streak — four wins in six starts — seldom seen on tour.
If one player was going to dominate the first few months of 2022 like this, Jon Rahm made the most sense. Or maybe Cal alum Collin Morikawa. Or Justin Thomas, who tends to reel off birdies in bunches.
Scheffler? Good player. Won a ton of national junior tournaments. Grew up in Dallas competing against Will Zalatoris, chasing the standard set by another standout in the area named Jordan Spieth (who is three years older than Scheffler and Zalatoris).
But Scheffler didn’t seem on the brink of flexing like this, turning Masters Sunday into a coronation. Rory McIlroy shot an electrifying 64 and it didn’t matter. Morikawa surged and it didn’t matter. Cameron Smith pushed Scheffler and it didn’t matter.
He just kept marching along, unbothered by the history and the stage, pocketing pars like prized currency. Scheffler might not have belonged in the
No. 1 conversation two-plus months ago, but now the conversation revolves around him.
Other observations watching Sunday’s final round from the couch:
⏩ In this era of the power hitter, of tee shots routinely traveling 350 yards, the 12th hole at Augusta National remains a source of everlasting cruelty.
No. 12 measures only 155 yards, but the green sits at an awkward angle, fronted by Rae’s Creek — and it bedeviled another Masters contender Sunday. Smith trailed Scheffler by three strokes when they arrived at No. 12, then plopped one in the water and ultimately made triple-bogey to ruin his chances.
Scheffler wanted no part of the creek. He played way left, diminishing his chances of trouble, and scrambled to make par. Smart man.
⏩ Huge props to Woods for completing 72 holes, barely more than a year after nearly losing his right leg in a car accident. That’s a testament to his fortitude and his fondness for Augusta National, where he’s a five-time Masters champion.
Another takeaway from the past four days: Woods faces a massive challenge in the next phase of his career.
He will play sporadically, choosing tournaments he favors (mostly major championships) and courses that suit his game. That makes perfect sense at his age (46), and given his physical limitations, but it’s a difficult way to return to contention.
Woods shot 78-78 on the weekend in Augusta, fading into the pack after a solid start. He made only one birdie Sunday. His swing looked stiff and his putting erratic, totally understandable when he hadn’t made a PGA Tour start in nearly 17 months.
Again, it’s remarkable Woods summoned the strength to play four rounds, especially on a course with so much elevation change. But it’s also unrealistic to expect him to win again playing so infrequently.
To his credit, Woods seems to appreciate the chance to play again, period. He chatted with Rahm throughout their round Sunday, a striking sight considering Woods’ customary intensity.
⏩ Some players struggle to become comfortable at Augusta National, with its imposing length and slick greens. Others, such as Zalatoris, acclimate themselves quickly.
Zalatoris, a San Francisco native who lived in the Bay Area until age 9 (when his family moved to Dallas), was runner-up in his Masters debut last year, behind only Hideki Matsuyama. Zalatoris made another splash in his encore, shooting 67 on Sunday to soar into a tie for sixth.
This makes sense because Zalatoris, 25, hits the ball far and high, typically ingredients for success at Augusta. But it’s harder to measure how young players will manage their games, and their nerves, around the storied layout.
That doesn’t seem to be an issue with Zalatoris, tracking early to wear a green jacket before too long.
⏩ Another player with Bay Area ties, Morikawa, also distinguished himself Sunday. Morikawa’s closing 67 vaulted him into fifth place, his best finish in three Masters starts.
Just as noteworthy was the way Morikawa completed his final round. Moments after McIlroy improbably holed his bunker shot on No. 18, Morikawa stepped into the same cavernous bunker — and also holed out for birdie.
Morikawa clearly knows how to rise to the moment. Remember the way he secured his first major title, in the 2020 PGA Championship at Harding Park in San Francisco: He smacked his drive onto the green at the short par-4 16th hole, then sank the eagle putt.
One big difference: There were no spectators at Harding, because of the pandemic. Sunday’s bunker shot sparked a suitable roar from the Augusta National gallery.