Scottie Scheffler Wins 2024 Masters for Meredith & His Child; LIV Golfers Denied Happy Ending In Brutal Fashion

It took Scottie Scheffler only twenty rounds to don the green jacket twice. Only Horton Smith, the first and third Masters champions, took less than the nine-time PGA Tour winner. The four-stroke victory made him the fourth youngest multiple Masters champion. With a final round score of 4-under 68, Scottie Scheffler also became the only golfer since Tiger Woods to lift both THE PLAYERS Championship and the Masters Trophy in the same season. 

The 27-year-old stepped on the gas after carding his second bogey on the first nine. Scottie Scheffler made three consecutive birdies to separate himself from the pack. At par 4, 11th Scheffler stumbled for a moment before quickly recovering with a par save on the 12th, and eventually closing the Amen’s Corner with a birdie.

This was Scheffler’s seventh straight top-five this year and his third title in four weeks. The world No. 1 was the overwhelming favorite entering Augusta National with the lowest odds since Tiger Woods. Scheffler also became the first golfer since the 15-time Major champion to win multiple Masters as the first reigning World No. 1 and the first since Dustin Johnson to don the Green Jacket as the current World No. 1. At one point, it appeared only his wife, Meredith, going into labor would alter the Masters’ fate. 

Scheffler, before resting his head on the pillow with the overnight lead, reasserted that the plans remain the same: to pull out if the news of Meredith going into labor reaches him. It’s not that golf is secondary. It’s just that Scheffler was sure he would drive down Magnolia Lane many times. As a past champion, he has a lifetime exemption, yes. But the show he put up at Augusta was enough to indicate that this might be the second of his multiple triumphs at the par 72, 7555-yard layout.

“I hadn’t hit many good iron shots,” the two-time Masters champion said while analyzing his round from the Butler’s cabin. He was right. Had his elite iron game been at Augusta, the margin would’ve been wider. Scheffler was way behind the field in both Strokes Gained: Approach to Green, and Strokes Gained: Around the Green. Scheffler was naturally surprised because he ranks first in SG: Approach to Green in the PGA Tour.  

However, none of that mattered, as his putter turned hot whenever someone came between him and the second Green Jacket. The 27-year-old, though, was seriously challenged, not by his playing mate, but rather by a Swedish rookie who subjected the world No. 1 to a Ryder Cup dressing down a few months ago.

Ludvig Aberg went bogey-free in the first nine, extending that streak to the par-4, 10th as well. However, he entered Amen’s Corner with an errant tee shot that landed straight into the water. Aberg eventually carded a double bogey. Aberg, though, was seemingly nonchalant, exiting Amen’s Corner with a par-save and a birdie. The 24-year-old oozed flamboyance and confidence munching sandwiches on his way to card 7-under for a solo second. By the way, Aberg was in college last April, and this was his first Major.

On the other hand, Max Homa, who wanted to bring his inner dog on Sunday, suffered at par 3, 12th, carding a double bogey after his ball was lost in the vegetation. Collin Morikawa, Scheffler’s final round playing mate, made his second double-bogey at the White Dogwood, hitting exactly where Aberg shot his tee shot minutes ago. That effectively put Scheffler on a solo ride at the top.

Bryson DeChambeau, the 18-hole leader, failed to rise up to the occasion as well. The 30-year-old needed birdies to erase the gap created by his 3-over 75 on Friday. The LIV Golf Pro, however, was on an even-par streak that didn’t help his title bid. DeChambeau bested his low amateur record with a T6, however.

What else happened at the 88th Masters other than the Scottie Scheffler triumph

DeChambeau was also only one of the three LIV Golfers inside the top 10. Ripper GC Captain, Cameron Smith lurked around T8 for a better part of the weekend. On the final day, he posted 1-under 71 to tie for sixth with DeChambeau. Smith was on even par in the second nine. On the other hand, Tyrrell Hatton carded a 3-under 69 for a T9. The British International, though, would be disappointed with the outcome. Hatton was flawless until reaching the 17th tee box. He bogeyed the final two holes.

Tommy Fleetwood, after a late charge, posted a bogey-free 3-under 69. His Ryder Cup teammate, and defending champion, Jon Rahm, failed to break par in the fourth round as well. The Spaniard tied for 45 with two former Masters champions, Danny Willet, and Jose Maria Olazabal. Last year’s 54-hole leader, Brooks Koepka, too, tied for the 45th spot. 

With all the conversation around Scottie Scheffler, it’s easy to miss another 27-year-old’s spectacular performance. Will Zalatoris, once again found his name inside the top-10 at the Masters. The one-time PGA Tour winner picked up five birdies and two bogeys on Sunday, carding 3-under 69. Last year, Zalatoris had to withdraw before hitting a single shot at Augusta National. It was also a great turnaround for the PGA Tour Pro after a missed cut at THE PLAYERS Championship and a T74 in the Texas Children’s Houston Open.

Low-amateur Neal Shipley carded 12-over, tying for the 53rd spot, seven places ahead of his final-round playing mate, Tiger Woods. The five-time Masters champion, after a wild moving day that saw him post his worst major round at 10-over 82, made a slight turn for the better. Tiger Woods carded 5-over 77 on the final round and settled for the 60th spot on the leaderboard, the last among the players to make the cut. Woods, notably, became the first player in history to make 24 consecutive cuts at the Masters. 

On a side note, with Scheffler’s second Green Jacket, Ted Scott, his caddie, has more Masters wins than the man himself. Scott was looping for Bubba Watson in both of his Masters triumphs. But more than anything, the 88th edition of the Masters was a tournament of statements. Scottie Scheffler stamped his authority at Augusta, and, by extension, the entire golf world once again. Ludvig Aberg displayed what made him a hot prospect in the PGA Tour. The 24-year-old seemed to feed off of the competition and the pressure at the grand stage. Max Homa, swatted aside all the criticism against his big match display. Whereas, for DeChambeau, it was a redemption after his ’67’ controversial comments a few years ago.