Augusta, Ga. – Scottie Scheffler left the course to Augusta National Thursday afternoon after doing the best.
It was a calm and clean turn that does it once again near the top of the ranking without making any noise. It is difficult to imagine the best classified golfer in the world to sneak the ranking, especially since he is the favorite and the reigning champion, but that is exactly what he did.
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Scheffler posted a 48 under 68 on Thursday to open the first major championship of the season. He didn't have a single Bogey by day, and he had only really working to save two pars throughout his round. Apart from that, it was a very simple outing for Scheffler who did it in the mixture and only three shots before Friday.
“Whenever you can keep a clean card here, it's a very good thing,” said Scheffler. “As you said, I fought for what looked like two out today. I had to do two very good more and more. But apart from that, the golf course was in front of me for most of the day, I kept the ball in play, did a lot of very good things there.”
Scheffler observed twice in his first four holes on Thursday, thanks in part to a huge 62 feet in the fourth par-3 that he seemed to flow easily. But, like Scheffler, he did not react much after the drop in putt. Instead, after a quick wave, he simply projected himself green and continued his day.
Scheffler followed this with another deep putt, this time from 40 feet, in the 16th par-3. This led him to 4 under the day after the abandonment of many chances of Birdie who should have fallen. He had skates of skips consecutive to Amen Corner, then he barely looked at the 14th from the edge of the green.
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The only real magic he had to withdraw was 7 and the 17th. Scheffler rose from top to bottom to save after perfect fleas from Greenside bunkers on both holes to install what turned out to be easy of putts. He followed the second with a ridiculous approach to the Fairway Bunker in the 18th, which drove all the way and stopped at 10 feet from the cup. While missing Putt was missing, he left with another easy peer to finish the Tour.
This has kept his clean card intact, which has made him the fourth title champion to open the masters with a sleeveless round in the past three decades. He entered the clubhouse equally in the second row. Only Justin Rose, who went 7 under his first round, had a better day.
Scheffler already has three first departures on tour this season, especially in Texas Children's Houston Open two weeks ago, where he finished second. He also made each cut, something he did last season, and said he was just doing his activities. Everything since his Christmas hand injury, which delayed the start of his season, was normal.
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“I was not doing anything different, I was able to do more and more rehearsals,” said Scheffler. “Just in time, I felt more prepared than for any other tournament.”
Scheffler was the favorite in the week, and it's easy to understand why. Not only has it been on a historic tear that has been taking place for two years now, but Scheffler rarely trips to Augusta National. His rounds are almost never shocking, but he only had two worse laps even even the peer during his last 21 outings. Everything else was either a few shots, which gave it two green jackets and three other top-20s. And in Augusta, that's all you have to do.
If Scheffler will repeat as champion, which the masters have not seen since Tiger Woods went consecutive in 2001 and 2002, he will probably have nothing to do with extraordinary. Thanks to his nonchalant departure of 4 sous, he is able to continue to lift birdies slowly but surely over the next three days.
As long as they continue to come at the same rate, he will be there Sunday afternoon.
