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Scottie Scheffler does not like being compared to Tiger Woods – but he may have to get used to it after his empathic Masters victory made it three wins from his last four starts.
The odd one out in that glorious run was – shock, horror – a runner-up spot, where he was beaten by one shot. But only after missing a five footer to force a play-off.
Reuters
Reuters
Reuters
ReutersIf that is not Tiger-like supremacy, tell me what is.
Scheffler’s rivals should hold onto that miss as proof that he really is human – because he most definitely looked superhuman as he cruised to a four shot victory over rising star Ludvig Aberg.
That made it two green jackets in the space of three years for the world No 1, and it has taken him just five appearances at Augusta to double up.
That is two less than Woods and Jack Nickllaus, and one fewer than Arnold Palmer. And that trio managed 15 Masters victories between them.
Nicklaus once said Woods would win more than the combined total of ten he and Palmer clocked up.
That proved wide of the mark, mainly because injuries and a scandalous private life derailed Woods in the middle of what should have been his peak years.
Scheffler, 27, looks capable of at least challenging Nicklaus’ record six victories at Augusta. And it cannot be too long before he starts winning other Majors too. He is that much better than the rest at the moment.
Aberg’s performance to finish a clear second best in his first Major was an astonishing effort.
It is hard to believe the 24 year old Swede only turned professional ten months ago.
He has already won on both sides of the Atlantic, and it was no wonder Luke Donald fast-tracked him for Ryder Cup duty against the USA just three months after he quit the amateur ranks, where he was the undisputed world No 1.
Aberg could be one of the men to threaten Scheffler’s dominance in the future. But not just yet.
The New Jersey-born, Texas-raised golfer has a mountainous lead in the professional world rankings, separating himself from the rest in a manner no-one has managed since Woods in his heyday. There is that connection again.
He also separated himself from his rivals at Augusta by ignoring the odd blip, and producing sublime golf to make sure his all-important birdies came in batches – three in a row from the eight, and three more in four holes from the 13th.
Meanwhile, all of his main rivals seemed to hit the panic button whenever they had Scheffler in their sights.
Scheffler won the Masters by four strokes
Rising star Ludwig Aberg finished runner up
Alamy
ReutersAt one stage Aberg, Max Homa and Collin Morikawa were all tied with the 2022 champion on six under par, while Tommy Fleetwood’s brilliant bogey-free 69 came too late to earn him anything more than a share of fourth.
Scheffler’s closest pursuers all suffered a dose of double trouble, just when they could least afford it.
Morikawa double bogeyed the ninth after leaving his ball in a bunker, Aberg doubled the 11th after hitting his approach into Rae’s Creek, and Homa suffered the same fate when he fired his tee shot at 12 deep into the cabbage, and had to take a penalty drop.
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Scheffler’s closing 68 contained three bogeys – but his seven birdies more than made up for those stumbles.
At 11 under he finished three clear of Aberg, who shot a highly commendable 69, while Morkawa and Homa slipped back to four under, alongside Fleetwood.
It was quite a display from Scheffler – and you can bet it won’t be too long before he repeats it on the Major stage.
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