Staff Writer 

szl414@psu.edu                  

Scottie Scheffler won the 2022 Masters on Sunday after dominating at Augusta National. The world number one finished ahead of Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy to win his first major championship. After two close-range misses on the 18th green, he rolled in the winning putt and finished the tournament on 10-under par, three shots ahead of second-placed McIlroy. Scheffler produced some excellent golf over the four days at the lush, sprawling golf club in Augusta, Georgia, refusing to falter under the pressure of being the tournament’s leader for nearly three days.

In the end, he was rewarded for his recent run of form by winning the most prestigious tournament title available, as well as the famous green jacket and the $2.7 million winners purse. Scheffler said he was “pretty tired” when he was asked about how he feels 

“I want to go home! I’m pretty tired right now — I’m really at a loss for words right now,” he said. “I can’t thank my family enough — they’ve made many sacrifices over the years. To have the honor of winning the tournament and to have my family with me was incredible. 

Scheffler’s life has changed dramatically in the last two months. 

The American golfer didn’t have a PGA Tour victory to his name in February. He was named golf’s world No. 1 in March after a run of three wins in five tournaments. With that red-hot form behind him, the 25-year-old Texan was tipped to be one of the favorites to be fitted with a green jacket by the end of the day on Sunday. He loomed ominously after the first day, sitting in third place, just two points behind leader Im Sung-jae. With some steady but precise golf, he had built up a sizable lead by the end of the second round.  On Saturday, despite the difficult conditions of blustery winds and low temperatures, Scheffler maintained his even-keeled demeanor.  This will go into the final day with a three-shot lead over Cameron Smith.

And after the first two holes on Sunday, it appeared that he might be in for a real fight. Smith made a string of birdies to cut Scheffler’s lead to one shot. Scheffler remained calm, producing some excellent shots – including a masterful chip-in on the third hole for a birdie – to re-establish his lead. Others began to falter as he went about his work without a hint of stress on his face. Smith’s charge for a first major fell apart on the treacherous par-three 12th hole, when his tee shot found the water and he had to settle for a triple-bogey.  While Smith’s confidence seemed to fade, Scheffler remained unwavering, continuing to pick up pars and the occasional birdie to maintain his commanding lead. McIlroy, who shot an eight-under-par 64 to take the clubhouse lead, was eventually his closest challenger.

Despite the pressure of a potential Masters title on the line, Scheffler did not falter, instead increasing his lead over the 14th and 15th holes to five with only three holes remaining. Despite a poor drive on the 17th, Scheffler was able to keep his cool until the final green on the 72nd hole. With a commanding lead and his 2022 Masters title almost certain, Scheffler demonstrated his humanity by four-putting – missing two putts from close range – before rolling in the winning putt and sparking scenes of jubilation. 

The first order of business was to embrace his beaming wife Meredith and his proud father Scott before making the short walk to the clubhouse to sign his victorious scorecard and prepare himself for his new item of clothing. According to the PGA Tour, Scheffler’s victory makes him the first player since David Duval in 1999 to win four times in a PGA Tour season by the end of the Masters.