Scottie Scheffler began his title defense at the 89th Masters with just that kind of spectacular round. He fired a bogey-free 4-under 68 in Round 1 at Augusta National Golf Club. It’s a blazing hot beginning that puts him among the early leaders, right there with Canada’s Corey Conners. Scheffler aims to join legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus as the only players to win the Masters three times in a four-year span.
In the lead-up to this year’s tournament, Scheffler had some obstacles working against him that should have compromised his performance. He lost a lot of practice time after he seriously injured his hand in a cooking accident around Christmas. Though hit with this unexpected delay, he confidently proclaimed that he was on his game, “I felt really good.”
As Scheffler played his opening round, all eyes were on how the circumstances would affect his performance. He thought it would get more and more concrete as the tournament continued. “I had a feeling the golf course was going to get pretty firm,” he remarked. This insight came in handy once players hit the famous Augusta greens, famous for their tiny landing zones.
Scheffler showed a lot of bounce-back ability during the round, showing poise after what he called a “two-par battle.” To make contact, he changed his approach and altered his form to strike the ball earlier. All of this resulted in a highly effective low skip shot, even from tough lies behind trees. Reflecting on his approach, he said, “Just one of those deals—sometimes you get good and bad breaks.”
Despite hitting only 11 of 18 greens in regulation, Scheffler’s ability to navigate the course exemplified his experience and skill. He emphasized the challenges posed by Augusta’s complex layout, explaining that “the areas to hit your irons out here are pretty small, and they get even smaller when the greens are firm.”
Scheffler capped his round in style with a 42-footer for birdie on the par-3 16th hole. This thrilling eagle putt further established his place at the top of the leaderboard. He carded a 4-under 68, his fourth consecutive first-round 60s at the Masters. This feat leaves him second overall for the tournament, only behind Nicklaus who did the same, 5 times, from 1972 to 1976.
Looking forward to the last three rounds, Scheffler’s play through two rounds has proven a recipe for victory. He would be only the fourth golfer ever to win consecutive green jackets. Such a win would put him in the pantheon of legends Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods.
Even as the tournament wears on, the focus will remain fixed on Scheffler. His goal, of course, is to stay in peak shape and to defend his title against the fired-up elite competition.
Leave a Reply