Golf shouldn’t look this easy.
The 18th hole at Augusta National is one of the toughest on the course. A hallway-tight driver to a dogleg right that goes dramatically uphill to a multi-level green that narrows to the width of a postage stamp at the back.
But look at how easy the man that might be the best ball striker in the history of golf makes it seem. A perfect baby cut, the whipping wind be dammed.
One of the best shots of the day, courtesy of Scottie Scheffler.#TheMasters pic.twitter.com/lG6uMjfwDC
— Playing Through (@_PlayingThrough) April 13, 2024
That’s just one of dozens of shots you could focus on from the No. 1 golfer on the planet right now. That’s not even up for debate, it’s just a fact.
Since the 2023 Tour Championship, here’s Scheffler’s results:
Hero World Challenge: Won
The Sentry: T5
The American Express: T17
Pebble Beach: T6
WM Phoenix: T3
The Genesis: T10
Bay Hill: Won
The Players Championship: Won
Houston: T2
There’s only one player in the modern history of golf to whom you can make the comparison, and that guy shot an 82 today.
What Scheffler is doing from the tees and fairways is not only absurd, it’s miles ahead of his peers who are the other best golfers in the world. And while his putter has come and gone at times, the same putter that cost him a smidge over $12 million at the 2022 TOUR Championship, when he’s making putts he’s just an unbeatable force on a golf course.
While he’s only gained +0.14 strokes on the green per round at the 2024 Masters so far, he’s +2.38 around the green, and a ridiculous +4.46 from tee-to-green. That’s playing on a course that’s wide open, where the long hitters have an advantage but not a tremendous one into the wide fairways.
But when you stick it closer with every approach because every iron in your bag is flawless, you’re going to win golf tournaments. And that’s what Scheffler at -7 is likely to do with his one-shot lead entering the final round on Sunday.
With apologies to Collin Morikawa (-6), Max Homa (-5), the precocious upstart Ludvig Aberg (-4), and the rest of the best golfers in the world, they’ve got to hope Scheffler makes a mistake or loses control of his Native Texas Wedge.
Because otherwise he’ll be in Butler Cabin tomorrow evening once again, and they’ll be watching him on a monitor.
The 2022 Masters Champion Scheffler entered the tournament as a massive favorite at +400 odds. Those are down to -120 entering the final round at DraftKings Sportsbook.
