From our special correspondent in Augusta (Georgia, United States),
Who else? (who else?) Big favorite of this 88th edition, Scottie Scheffler has upheld his rank as the undisputed boss of world golf. With this second green jacket in two years, the world number 1 becomes at 27 the 4th youngest double winner at Augusta behind Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Seve Ballesteros. All after only five participations. He stands out as the only player to have won his second Masters in 5 attempts since a certain Horlon Smith… in 1934 and 36.
After a crazy Saturday, where the leaders took turns, the suspense was less unbearable on Sunday. If the first nine holes were indecisive and suggested an anthology finale, the boss's pursuers were scuttled one after the other. Despite an absence of wind, the best players in the world still suffered on Sunday on greens that were faster than ever. Only eight of them finish their four rounds under par... The winner of the 2022 edition began his quest for a second green with one stroke ahead of Collin Morikawa and two ahead of Max Homa. Homa, who had not made a single birdie during 33 holes, came back to within a length of a Scheffler, a little borrowed at the start of the game, after a birdie at 2 (par 5). Then the tournament had, for a time, four leaders at -7 (Homa, Scheffler, Morikawa and Aberg) after a new birdie from Homa on 8. But at hole 9, Scheffler was able to make a first difference with a gem approach who brushed against the eagle. A turning point. Because his pursuers then broke their teeth on the Amen Coner.
The Amen Corner fatal to Scheffler's pursuers
Holes 11, 12 and 13 did not fail in their reputation and swept away the illusions of the contenders for the green jacket. Co-leader at hole 8 at -7, Collin Morikawa first made a double bogey on 9 with two sand exits, before finding the water on 11 and scoring a new double. On this same hole 11, Ludvig Aberg, who chased Scheffler for a long time, also sent his ball into the water, before making a double bogey which slowed him down. It was on the 12th that Max Homa (double bogey in his turn) drew a line under his green jacket dreams. Scheffler wasn't asking for that much. He stunned the competition a little more with two consecutive birdies on holes 13 and 14 and completed his new triumph with another birdie on 16, his third in four holes. The ogre of world golf, who won his third tournament this season in nine events, signed a double in March (Arnold Palmer Invitational and Players Championship) and took 2nd place in Houston at the Texas Open. He notably completed 28 rounds under par, a record on the American circuit since 1983. Monstrous. The insatiable is four shots ahead of the amazing Swedish player Ludvig Aberg and by seven a trio composed of Tommy Fleetwood, Max Homa and Collin Morikawa.
Ludvig Aberg left his mark
Professional for less than a year, the 24-year-old Swede never ceases to amaze with his precocity. Invited to play in the Ryder Cup with the European team last September, even though he had never played in a Grand Slam tournament, the rookie behaved like an old hand this week at Augusta for his first Major. He made history in 2023 by becoming the first player to go directly to the PGA Tour after college. It only took him 75 days to win his first professional title, at the Omega European Masters 2023 in Crans-sur-Sierre GC in Switzerland. As a young man in a hurry, the 9th in the world could also have become the first rookie since Fuzzi Zoeller in 1979 to win at Augusta. After his hiccup on 11 (double), the Swede did not lose his smile:
“After the double bogey on 11, I held on and it finally went well. Finishing like this at the Masters is a dream come true. Playing here has been such a privilege, and I am very proud of myself, the team and all the work we do. Being in that situation, feeling the nerves and feeling the pressure on the last two holes, that's what you dream of.
This is what I've wanted to do for so long, and it's pretty surreal to have the opportunity to experience it. »
He impressed the golf world with his long iron shots to seek the masts, he made no three-putts in four rounds and demonstrated a lot of tactical intelligence. We haven't finished talking about Aberg.
Pavon best Blue in Augusta
If he did not beat the course over four rounds (+1 total), one of his objectives, the undisputed leader of French men's golf Matthieu Pavon ultimately did even better than Thomas Levet, 13th in 2005. Twelfth, he directly validates your ticket for next year. The French number one confirms in passing that he is in his place among the very best.
“
It’s a good place but I would have liked to finish under par today,”
he sighed.
I think I had the game for it. It didn't go far but it's still a very good week."
The rookie didn't have any hang-ups but also learned a lot:
"You really realize when you play the course the difficulty of these greens. It's very tricky. There are places where you should avoid going. Chips are sometimes more interesting to play than putts. This requirement that you have to have here in the short game is really impressive. I've never played anything like that yet (…) It's a course where you have to manage your frustration. Perhaps we will have to work even harder next time to hope to do better.
»
Tiger Woods, last survivor of the cut, Rahm off topic
A weekend in hell for the ex-owner. Author of his worst card at Augusta the day before (82, +11), Tiger Woods barely raised his head on Sunday (+5) for his 100th round of the Masters. He thus ends his week in… +16. An evidence. The golf icon suffered martyrdom in the Augusta heat, often grimacing and limping a bit. Released to the ovations of a public still as fervent, nostalgic for his great years, Woods can at least be satisfied with having been able to go to the end of the tournament. A victory in itself for this bruised body. A year after he retired after the 3rd round due to an ankle injury and two months after throwing in the towel during his 2nd round on the PGA Tour at the Genesis Invitational due to a virus.
“It was a good week overall. This is the first time in a long time that I have played a full tournament (since December 2023), he said. I fought well on Thursday and Friday. But, unfortunately, yesterday things didn't go the way I wanted. »
He assured the media. He will play the next three Major tournaments, at Valhalla (USPGA), at Pinehurst (US Open, in June) and at Troon (The Open, in July). Maybe more. Mystery:
“I’m going to keep lifting weights, moving the body, getting stronger. I hope the training sessions continue to get longer
. ”
If Woods' weekend was a long journey, that of title holder Jon Rahm was also a long ordeal. The Basque played four rounds over par to finish with a pitiful +9. The defending champion, who has become the richest athlete in the world since his controversial transfer to the LIV, made eight three-putts during his four rounds. Crippling.