The Masters LIVE: Leaderboard and reaction as Scottie Scheffler wins second green jacket ahead of Ludvig Aberg
The pre-tournament favourite and World No 1 coasted to a four-shot victory as his pregnant wife Merideth watched from home expecting the couple’s first child
Scottie Scheffler has won the Masters for the second time in three years after holding off the challenge of Ludvig Aberg and Max Homa to claim the green jacket by four shots at Augusta National.
Pre-tournament favourite and World No 1 Scheffler held a one-shot lead going into the final round but held his nerve on the back nine - even as a surging Aberg and Homa briefly joined him and Collin Morikawa in a four-way tie at the top of the leaderboard.
But the 27-year-old American shot three birdies in a row at the turn to pull clear, with Aberg, Homa and Morikawa all getting into trouble with double bogeys at Amen Corner. Scheffler, by contrast, coasted to victory with a near-faultless display, carding another run of three birdies in four down the stretch.
Scheffler, who won his first major at Augusta in 2022, will now return home to Texas and join his wife Merideth, who is expecting to give birth to the couple’s first child later this month. Scheffler said he would have been prepared to leave the tournament early if necessary
The 24-year-old Aberg continued his stunning rise as a professional, meanwhile, as the Swede finished second on his Masters debut. Aberg, who shone for Europe in the Ryder Cup last year, would have been the first-ever debutant victor at the Augusta were it not for Scheffler.
Follow all the reaction as Scheffler claimed his second Masters title at Augusta
Scottie Scheffler wins Masters to claim second green jacket in three years
Scottie Scheffler fully justified his status as pre-tournament favourite with a nerveless second Masters title in the space of three years at Augusta National.
The world number one carded a closing 68 to finish 11 under par and four shots clear of Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, with England’s Tommy Fleetwood, two-time major winner Collin Morikawa and Max Homa three strokes further back.
Scheffler held his nerve as his rivals stumbled around Amen Corner and responded magnificently when Aberg kept the pressure on, the 24-year-old again demonstrating his enormous potential on his major debut.
A recap of how it all went down:
Scottie Scheffler wins Masters to claim second green jacket in three years
The World No 1 carded a closing 68 to finish 11 under par, four shots ahead of Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg
That’s all for now
Well, another four days of splendid major championship golf. Augusta National bore its teeth like we’ve rarely seen in recent years but, amidst the carnage, it was Scheffler who emerged victorious to cement his place as the undisputable king of professional men’s golf.
That’s all from us today - thanks for tuning in throughout the week and we’ll be back next month for the US PGA Championship at Valhalla. Until then!
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER WINS THE MASTERS
Collin Morikawa on where his final round went wrong: “I got greedy. When you’re playing really good, you don’t get greedy, and I got greedy on 9, I got greedy on 11. I just was trying to hit it a little bit too close, and greed can get the best of us. I’m going to take a lot from this week.
“It’s been a rough season so far, but hopefully this is kind of the turning point. I’ve seen a lot of good, and watching Scottie today, I know it’s doable for me, I’ve just got to put the pieces together.”
Leaboard
Here’s a look at how things ended up.
-11: Scheffler -7: Aberg -4: Fleetwood, Homa, Morikawa -2: Smith, DeChambeau -1: Schauffele E: Zalatoris, Hatton, Young +1: Pavon, Reed, Schenk, Davis +2: Straka, Kirk, An, Hojgaard
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER WINS THE MASTERS
Runner-up Ludvig Aberg reflects on his performance: “I haven’t really thought about it just yet. I think there’s a lot of things that we did very well this week, especially today because I came out and I was very nervous, obviously. I was shaking a little bit on the first tee. Those are all things that I really enjoy doing. We said that it’s a privilege to be able to hit all these shots out here, and it’s a privilege to be in this position.
“Hitting it in the water on 11 wasn’t ideal, but we also just kept playing. That’s what me and my caddie Joe and our team has been trying to work on. Just keep playing no matter what happens. I think we did that very well today, and it just showed that we stuck to what we did, and it ended up being pretty okay.
“Finishing well in the Masters is a dream come true. Just playing here has been such a privilege, and I’m super proud of myself and the team and all the work that we’re doing.”
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER WINS THE MASTERS
A visibly emotional Scheffler with a message to his pregnant wife Meredith who wasn’t on site this week: “I’m coming home! I’ll be home as quick as I can. I love you and I’m coming home!
“It’s a very special time for both of us. I can’t put it into words what it means to win this tournament again and I really can’t put into words what it’s going to be like to be a father for the first time. So looking forward to getting home and celebrating with Meredith - it’s been a long week without her.”
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER WINS THE MASTERS
And now, the Masters champion Scottie Scheffler: “I did my best to stay calm out there. I tried to stay patient on the course and was able to make some key shots and putts to keep my round going. Ludvig [Aberg] played great today and made a move on me on the back nine and I was fortunate to hold him off towards the end.
“I hadn’t hit many good iron shots which is a bit unusual for me. I’d hit some good ones but they weren’t really ending up where they were supposed to. At nine, I got that feeling of hitting a really well-struck shot and that set me up to have a really good back nine.”
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER WINS THE MASTERS
First up, it’s low amateur Neal Shipley who enjoyed his final round alongside Tiger Woods today.
“It’s a day I’m going to cherish forever, he was great to me out there and to have all the patrons rooting both of us on was phenomenal,” he says. “This week is going to be one of the best weeks of my life and something I will remember forever, especially being able to play with Tiger but the whole week in general.”
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