Major coronation and sacred return: the world No.1 Scottie Scheffler won the Masters, his first Grand Slam, on Sunday in Augusta, where Tiger Woods succeeded in his crazy bet of a return to competition thirteen months after his accident. car.
The 25-year-old American finished with a score of -10, three strokes ahead of Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, author of a fantastic but futile comeback and who will wait to add the only missing Major to his collection. Australian Cameron Smith and Irishman Shane Lowry, tied for third, finished at five points.
“I can’t put into words what it means to me to know that I can come back here for life,” Scheffler said, after his chart-topping predecessor, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, gave him the traditional reserved green jacket. to the winners.
After this prestigious success, he confirms his current supremacy on the North American PGA Tour.
But his rise is meteoric, because he won his first tournament only two months ago, at the Phoenix Open. Then he continued, winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida on March 6, and the WGC World Match-Play Championship in Austin (Texas) on March 28.
The icing on the cake of this victory, the 25-year-old Texan, who was 15th on February 6, then snatched the world number one spot from Spaniard Jon Rahm.
– Uncompromising composure –
So the pressure was on his shoulders arriving at Augusta, although Woods’ fascinating comeback focused most of the attention and left him somewhat alone.
But it was only worth the time of 48 hours, because on Friday, he was already flying over the debates and had a five-point lead after 36 holes. Saturday was his trickiest day, with Cameron Smith closing within three units.
And even just one, after two successful birdies from the start of the Australian during this 4th round started by Scheffler piano, which among its manifest qualities has that of an unwavering composure. This is evidenced by this extraordinary birdie at N.3 thanks to a perfect chip above the mound.
“It surprised me. I didn’t expect the ball to come in. It made things take off for me,” he said.
This masterstroke has somewhere also put Smith KO Because he conceded at the same time a bogey on this hole, therefore returning to three units behind. It was the beginning of the end: three other bogeys followed and even a double bogey at N.12 of the Amen Corner, where indeed the Masters are lost and won.
These difficulties, Scheffler passed them without incident, after a new birdie at N.7. But in his rearview mirror appeared like a bullet Rory McIlroy, author of an exceptional last lap.
– “It was incredible” –
Not content with having returned a faultless card, the Northern Irishman managed a sumptuous eagle on the N.13 and his sixth birdie of the day, by an exit from the bunker on the N.18 which melted the public gathered around .
His card of 64 (-8) is the lowest achieved on a Sunday in Augusta. And the second lowest in the history of the tournament behind Nick Price and Greg Norman, who had done even better years earlier (-9).
On this N.18 where he had already won the tournament, after two birdies in a row at N.14 and N.15 to give him a five-stroke lead over McIlroy, Scheffler for the first time swayed in four days, betrayed by legitimate emotion.
He committed a double bogey after two curled putts on the rim that came out. He put his right hand on his mouth, but it did not tremble to finally get it over with, to the cheers of the public.
An audience that had reserved such vibrant ones for Tiger Woods two hours earlier. His score of +13, the lowest in 24 participations, obviously did not count. Because this extraordinary champion, who came close to having his right leg amputated in February 2021, had just achieved one of his greatest feats there.
“I don’t think words can describe how I felt. It was amazing,” said the Tiger, just happy to roar again.
