Published15. April 2024, 09:16
Golf: Scottie Scheffler triomphe encore au Masters
The American world No. 1 donned his second jacket at Augusta and pocketed a record bonus of $3.6 million.
Scottie Scheffler teeing off on hole No. 18 on Sunday.
Getty Images via AFP
Big favorite, American world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler won for the second time after 2022 the prestigious Golf Masters in Augusta (Georgia, United States) on Sunday, after a new demonstration of solidity.
Like a passing of the torch, Scheffler became at 27 the fourth youngest golfer to win two major tournaments after Seve Ballesteros, Jack Nicklaus, and the record holder Tiger Woods, who dragged his punishment to the bottom of the rankings (60th) at the end of the competition.
Accustomed to honors, Woods, aged 48 and winner of 15 major tournaments, took an unusual early morning start on Sunday (the highest ranked start last 5 hours later) at 9:35 a.m. local time (3:35 p.m. Paris time), followed by the crowd as in his greatest hours, 27 years after his first victory on the National Golf Club course.
Tiger Woods 60e
At the twilight of his career, the “Tiger” made an expected return to Augusta after his retirement a year ago followed by ankle surgery. Woods, who reappeared on the circuit in February, finished his first tournament of the year in Georgia, but still has not removed doubts about his physical ability to string together rounds to fight for the biggest titles.
After making the cut thanks to two good days on Thursday and Friday, Woods collapsed on Saturday (card of 82.10 over par, the worst of his career in a major tournament) to finally finish 60th and last of the players still in contention on Sunday, seeming to struggle to walk.
“Overall it’s a good week,” he commented, looking ahead to the other three major tournaments of the season. “I want to continue to work physically, to challenge my body, to make it stronger, to progress. I hope my training sessions will get longer.”
3.6 million dollars
“I don’t have the words to express what another victory in this tournament means,” said Scheffler, a monster of consistency, who has not played a round above par since August 2023.
“I did my best to stay calm and patient on the course. I made a few key shots to stay in my game.”
In the lead from Friday, he again returned a fine card of 68 (4 under par) on Sunday, marred by three bogeys compensated by seven birdies. The American quickly stood out in the rankings and never trembled to beat the Swede Ludvig Aberg by four strokes.
The Englishman Tommy Fleetwood and the Americans Collin Morikawa and Max Homa shared third place, seven shots behind the winner.
Scheffler, who put on his second green jacket and pocketed a record bonus of 3.6 million dollars (around 3.4 million euros), is now targeting the three other major tournaments, where he has not yet won: the PGA Championship (May 16-19 in Louisville, Kentucky), the US Open (June 13-16 in Pinehurst, North Carolina) and the British Open (July 18-21 in Troon, Scotland).
(AFP)