Masters 2022 LIVE: Leaderboard and scores as Scottie Scheffler beats Rory McIlroy to win the green jacket
Follow live reaction as Scottie Scheffler sealed a dominant Masters victory after holding off a thrilling late surge from Rory McIlroy
Scottie Scheffler has won The Masters after holding off the challenge of Cameron Smith and a sublime final-round performance from Rory McIlroy at Augusta to secure a first major title.
It completes a stunning rise and caps a dominant run for the 25-year-old American, who in the space of 56 days has won his first professional tournament at the Phoenix Open, reached number one in the world rankings after a further two wins in four starts, and now claimed the green jacket.
McIlroy, who started his round at +1 and at one point this week was 13 shots off the pace, carded a wonderful seven-under-64 to claim a surprise second-place finish with the joint-lowest final round in Masters history.
His magnficant charge was sealed as he chipped in for birdie from the 18th bunker but ultimately his run came too late in the day and his wait for an elusive Masters title goes on. Scheffler wrapped his victory over the closing five holes and finished three shots clear with a total score of -10, even if required a four-putt double bogey at the last.
Follow live reaction from the final round of The Masters below:
Masters 2022: Smith saves par
It was important for Smith to do that. His first par of the day stops the run of bogeys. Now he must get that early spark back. The Scheffler chip-in looks like to have thrown him off.
Masters 2022
Smith gets a big break at the par-4 4th as his drive down the left of the fairway somehow manages to fall between the two bunkers. He is then unable to find the upper tier of the green, though, leaving a tricky two-putt to come.
Scheffler makes it there and will have a shot at birdie.
Masters 2022: Bogey for Smith
Two birdies followed now by two bogeys for Cameron Smith. His tee shot at the par-3 4th caught the bunker of the front of the green leaving Smith with such a tough putt as there was no room with the pin also being at the front. The par putt from seven feet misses and with Scheffler making par, the lead is now at four.
Masters 2022: Birdie for McIlroy
Another birdie and now up into a tie for third! McIlroy is having another fine run at Augusta but like it has sometimes done in previous years, it has come too late and only once the leaders had pulled too far away. That will only add to the frustration of his week but he is at least enjoying this round. He’s -4 through eight holes for his day, -3 overall.
Masters 2022: Chip-in birdie for Scheffler!
Extraordinary. Scheffler and Smith are going to have the same chip at the 3rd after both missing the green. Scheffler ended up having a look at the flag from the pine straw but hit the bank and saw it tumble back. Smith was on the other side and needed to take a drop to avoid the scoreboard and lands it in the same position.
Smith has to mark his ball as Scheffler goes first... AND HE CHIPS IT IN FOR BIRDIE! THAT’S INSANE!
Smith now has to follow that, from the same position! The Australian can only run it 15 feet behind the hole and now faces a tough putt for par. What a turnaround.
And Smith can’t make his par, either, so that’s two-shot swing at the top after it looked like Scheffler was in trouble after his drive.
Masters 2022: Trouble for Scheffler?
Pressure...
With Smith cutting his lead to one, Scheffler has now sent his drive at the 3rd a good 40 yards to the left of the fairway and into the trees. Trouble awaits, perhaps, depending on where it lies.
Shane Lowry has had to hit a provisional ball off the tee at the par-3 4th... He sent his first one well wide of the green.
Masters 2022: Birdie for McIlroy
What a putt! After saving par at the last McIlroy makes another lengthy one! This was even further out, from the fringes of the green, but he rolls it in from 30 feet or to get down to -2.
Masters 2022: Another birdie for Smith!
Cameron Smith has given himself a lengthy eagle chance at the par-5 2nd. It’s fast and downhill as Smith trickles towards the hole... and it runs well back.
Scheffler landed in the greenside bunker with his third shot. It left him a shot at birdie from 12 feet but it faded away to the left.
Now can Smith convert? He does! Right in the middle! Smith opens with two birdies and suddenly Scheffler’s lead is one!
Masters 2022
Tiger Woods: “It’s crazy. Joaquin Niemann wasn’t born [when he won here for the first time in 25 years ago]. This tournament means so much to me and my family. The year I was born was the first time a Black man played at Augusta. He was there when I won [in 1997]. My mother was there, and she was there today.
“I don’t know [what’s next]. Three weeks ago I didn’t know if I was going to play. I’ve got a lot of work to do. There was not a lot of endurance in my leg. That’s one of the things we’re going to have to work on. I won’t be playing a full schedule ever again. I’m going to play the big events. But I am looking forward to St Andrews. It’s my favourite course in the world and I will be there. But we’ll see.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments